Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the ambassador to Ireland and congratulate him on his appointment. There are already very close ties between France and Ireland in a traditional and historic sense. We will continue that relationship. I also appreciate the sympathy expressed for Ireland because of Storm Ophelia, which caused devastation and three deaths. There was enormous damage and tragedy, and it is certainly very unusual for us to have such weather conditions. It was the worst storm for 50 years and we are grateful that France is prepared to help in any way it can to restore energy and power in the south in particular. We extend our sympathies to France on the atrocities caused by ISIS in France, which have been dreadful. I have been to Paris numerous times and I suppose it has changed life in a sense. Paris is a beautiful city and the atrocities committed there and elsewhere are totally unacceptable.

President Macron's speeches have been radical. He is young, enthusiastic and new to the job. I agree with most of what my colleagues have said in that regard. President Macron has said the Union with 27 member states must be stronger than the Union with 28 member states. That is fine and the European Union, EU, must go forward, even in the difficulties post-Brexit. The United Kingdom has played a very important role in Europe since 1973. I was a Minister of State involved with the Single European Act and the British played a very important role with all the other members. Wherever it raised concerns about the future, it was given complete support. A vote was never taken in the negotiations for the Single European Act and Britain was not isolated or made to feel other than 100% welcome in the European Union. We all realised that but the message was never conveyed to the people in the United Kingdom about what exactly it contributed to the Union and had achieved while in the Union over the past 40 years. There was a breakdown in communication but we are where we are and we must move on.

Neutrality is very special to Ireland. We were neutral in the Second World War. If our people wished to participate, and it was mainly on the allied side, they did and they played a very important role. From the State's perspective, we were neutral and this neutrality was the biggest issue for us with the Lisbon and other treaties. We got the guarantees and the treaties were approved eventually. Any question of a European army will not wear here.

There are more practical matters, such as the Celtic interconnector, which is very important. I know the ambassador will work to ensure it comes about. It will be a guaranteed supply for Ireland on the periphery of Europe, an island off an island. There is a major project from the Caspian sea, a pipeline to Europe that is progressing very well. It is a $45 billion project led by Azerbaijan, with the pipeline coming straight through Greece to Italy and into Europe. It will mean Europe will not be dependent on Russia for natural gas in future, which is very important. One cannot rely on one particular state with certain political considerations, such as those with Ukraine, especially if the pipeline goes through unstable regions. It is a move in the right direction and the Celtic interconnector is very important.

A common finance Minister is definitely not on and we must protect our 12.5% corporation tax. We are the most peripheral of all parts of Europe, an island beyond an island. The state of the island between us and mainland Europe means we must look to get the best possible link to our major markets in the European Union. It is a very serious matter from our perspective. The attractive tax code has brought about great economic development in Ireland. There is the idea of reducing the number of Commissioners from 28, or 27 in a while, to 15 but it is an example of matters that would not really go down very well here at all. It would be rejected. Any proposals would have to be implemented only by agreement and treaty change. Treaty change is taken very seriously. The next time, there will be no second treaty vote when the people speak. I believe the Lisbon treaty allowed states to leave but I am not sure what would have happened if the UK was not allowed to leave.

The ambassador is welcome in Ireland and we wish to keep very close to France. The French President has made radical suggestions and he is very pro-European. Other people have different views and we must respect all of them. We seek French support in the negotiations, particularly with regard to our position, the Good Friday Agreement and the possibility of a customs border between the North and South of Ireland. These are our current concerns. I made it clear at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly in Liverpool on Monday and Tuesday that we are with the 27 remaining states. We are very anxious for the UK to get a good deal, as a good deal for it will be a good deal for Ireland. I made it clear that we are with the 27 as far as the negotiations go. It is vital that the deal will be good and not damage Ireland, even in a collateral way. The danger is if there is hostility in the negotiations with the United Kingdom, we will suffer the fallout. We want a good deal that will bring freedom of movement North and South and into the United Kingdom. There is goodwill in that regard. We also want good access to markets through better investment from the European Union. We want more support and not less from the European Union after Brexit. If the Union wants to keep countries that will be affected, as we will be, it must provide more support for the development of our ports and airports, as well as access to the mainland European market.