Frank O'Rourke (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. I welcome Mr. Rigney here this afternoon. I will follow on from the final point made by my colleague, Senator Leyden, namely, Brexit and encouraging enterprise and new companies into Ireland. A critical part of that is investment in infrastructure. We have raised it time and time again and it was raised last week during the budget speeches and will emerge again as the various Bills pass through the House. Senator Leyden is correct that we must aim to relocate business into the midlands and into the west and north west but in order to do that we must have a road infrastructure, proper broadband and access to rail services, roll-on-roll-off facilities and airports. It is hugely important in that context that we should see this as an opportunity to invest in what is required to attract foreign direct investment into our country and have companies set up here.

When we talk about the future of Europe does that create some level of uncertainty and instability because we are aware of what has happened with Brexit? Senator Leyden has outlined that the United Kingdom is standing back a little now and has changed its timeline as it has become more aware of the significance of the change to it as well as to everybody else, not to mention the direct relationship between Ireland and the United Kingdom. Who knows what will eventually happen? Does continued talk about the future of Europe increase instability and uncertainty for those who are anti-Europe, who probably started the entire conversation on day one in the United Kingdom? Those who led the campaign are no longer to be seen after all the promises were made with no substance behind it. Does that give oxygen to people in other countries with similar agendas to try to push the anti-European agenda from which we and other countries have benefitted? I would like to hear Mr. Bergin's thoughts in that regard.

A point was made earlier about the financial crisis, which was an international one. The views of Irish people changed somewhat on Europe because of the lack of support that came through and the hard lines that were taken. We know what created the problem and how international factors contributed to it but help and support to deal with the issue were not forthcoming and as a result we were left to carry the can on our own.

Does Mr. Bergin believe that the discussion on Europe is driven by the media, which cherry-pick the stories to suit their agenda? Have they given rise to a vacuum which has resulted in a discussion on whether parts of Europe are bad rather than taking a holistic view and a balanced approach?