Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Sheridan and Dr. Soares for their comprehensive replies. As I mentioned earlier, I have just come from a meeting of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs. The committee has been focusing on the long historical relationship between Britain and Ireland. I put forward the view that instead of deputations going from both the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Oireachtas to Britain, or from Northern Ireland down here and from Britain over here, we really need to go on a love-bombing campaign around the other 26 member states. I am looking for the witnesses' opinion on this.

We need parliamentarians from Northern Ireland, the Republic and Britain, if it wants to join, to go and explain the situation to member states. Having attended a conference in Brussels last week, I definitely came away with the impression that there was a concerted effort to give Britain a bloody nose in order to show the other 27 member states what would happen to them if they were to try this. I would be terribly afraid that a sort of nationalistic European "let's get Britain" would start. If that were to happen Northern Ireland would be crucified and the economy of the Republic of Ireland would be set back years. I would be interested in the view of the witnesses.