Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for attending today. The presentation on the White Paper has been interesting and timely. As Senator Richmond has said, it is time that we in Europe analysed ourselves in a critical way. We must determine whether we, as Europeans, are all travelling in the same direction. Like him I have reached the conclusion that we have not all travelled in the same direction for some years. It is interesting that there is a higher level of satisfaction with the European Union in Ireland than in most other European countries and a higher level of Irish people wish to stay in the European Union. I would have thought that whether or which would never arise. I would have thought that, in comparison with the scenario that Senator Richmond has referred to, there could be no doubt in anybody's mind as to where Europe should be and where it should be in the future.

We, as Europeans, are the victims of our own success. Together, we have managed to achieve a great deal by being single-minded, objective and following a consistent pattern over the years but now we take that for granted. I agree with the Senator that we take all of our achievements for granted. Sadly, there is a price to be paid when something is taken for granted and there is danger that complacency will set in. People will try to re-invent Europe and improve its shape. Such attempts have happened many times in the past but without success. I agree with the Senator that we have reached an important juncture. We must consolidate a peaceful Europe and one that is consistent with its objectives. We need a stable Europe. Any element that disappears from that scenario will leave Europe vulnerable.

The White Paper contains very interesting points, in particular the five scenarios. We may move towards what some people have referred to as greater integration. We are not great supporters of federalism in this country and I do not think we need to be. There is no reason to presume that the European member states cannot proceed as they did in the past provided they recognise each other's existence.

As I have criticised in the past, a chasm has allegedly grown between individual member states and the European institutions. Is it a reality or just in our minds? Have we grown apart? On the one hand, there is the Commission and, on the other hand, there are the member states and the Council. To what extent are we prepared to look at ourselves in a critical way and decide that we must think as one? Individual member states thinking as one is key. This aspect will dominate European politics for the next 50 years. Failure to do so will also dominate. If we make one wrong decision and go in the wrong direction then generations of people will pay.

I realise that the age profile of the Irish population differs from that of other European member states. We have a larger tranche of young people than most other European states with the possible exception of Romania and maybe one of the newer member states.

We must identify, isolate and deal with the contentious issues that have arisen throughout Europe over the past five years. As long as we have people in individual member states holding certain views and being critical of the European institutions, and critical of their colleagues in the Union or members of the Union, then there will be no unity of purpose. If we do not have a unity of purpose then we do not have a Europe that we expect to rely on in the future. It is the type of Europe that we will need to rely on to a greater extend in the future.

I believe that it is still within the capacity of the European member states to identify issues collectively and individually. I urge member states to put their differences to one side and avoid going in different directions. As Mr. Kiely has said, all of these directions have been tried before without success. It is like getting advice from a bad adviser. There is no sense taking advice from a bad adviser if one can say to him or her that the policy or policies have failed before or did not go anywhere.

Ireland faces a double challenge in that we also have Brexit. There has been much speculation on the dreaded challenge of Brexit and the damaging impact it could have on this country. We are looking at Brexit from the wrong vantage point. We intend to remain a member of the European Union and we need to expect the highest possible delivery from the EU. Becoming pessimistic and suggesting there are pitfalls and traps all over the place is damaging our bargaining capacity. We must expect the greatest and the best, nothing less. When we make statements that we will do the best we can or try to secure the best deal we can, what message does it send out to those with whom we are negotiating? It sends a message of doubt. As the Chairman and I know from our respective constituencies, raising a question about one's own ability to achieve the best outcome is not a good bargaining position.

There are two issues. We need to achieve the best outcome in the Brexit negotiations, namely, what we have, we hold and in respect of the review arising from the White Paper or otherwise, we need to bring the sides together in order that those at the centre of Europe who are making decisions reflect the views of people on the ground, as opposed to those of the most extreme groups.