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

I welcome the Minister of State and her assistants. I compliment her on the role she played in the recent long-running Brexit debates and negotiations. I also compliment the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, all other Government Ministers and all Opposition people who played a role in this intricate operation. The Government adopted the correct position in respect of this matter. That position has been held throughout. There is a very good reason for this - there was no alternative position. There was no alternative to the role adopted by the Government. I think that was recognised by the EU, particularly by Michel Barnier. The way the rest of the EU member states supported the Government is to be recognised and acknowledged. It underlines the importance of having support at a crucial time in business of that nature. There was no other place to be. I compliment and thank the Minister of State.

Many people have been inquiring about what plan B might be. I would very respectfully advise them to stay away from that spot. When one is negotiating, it is like playing poker - one must never announce what one's next move is going to be. The point at which one makes such a disclosure immediately becomes the position from which one will resile. That is not a good place to be. We have had 100% success so far. It was very important for us to hold the position that was being held. That position will continue to prevail and will eventually bring about something that is acceptable right across Europe.

I will not go over all the issues. The future of Europe comes to mind. I am not certain that we always get the full benefit of the Single Market. I have spoken about this at meetings of the health committee and other committees. We need to be constantly aware of the fact that we are part of the European Single Market. The power that goes with being part of a population of over 500 million is very important. When one is sourcing goods, materials and services, one is in a far better bargaining position by virtue of being part of a market of 500 million people than one would be if one were coming from a market of 5 million or whatever the case may be. When we are negotiating with the pharmaceutical sector or any other sector of business throughout Europe or globally, we need to reiterate the need to avail of the full benefits of being part of the Single Market.

Like many of those who have already expressed their opinions about the future of Europe, I am concerned that some Europeans have recently shown a tendency to look outside Europe or to move away from the central core of fundamental European policy that has stood the test of time extremely well. As I have said previously, I think that is a dangerous place to go. It runs contrary to the ideals of modern Europe. Our combined history shows us that this is not the place to be. We have had a peaceful and prosperous Europe for a considerable period. We continue to have a peaceful and prosperous Europe, albeit under duress. We would not want to lose sight of the fact that the EU has been the biggest single peace arrangement in the world for the past 50 or 60 years. People will have issues from time to time. They will look at alternatives overseas. It is a very good thing for them to look again and again so that they are not under-impressed by the success of Europe as it was, as it should be and as it will continue to be as long as it is supported.

I would like to comment on what Europe is to us. I believe we have taken ownership of our part of Europe. We are Europeans. We should never resile from that. I think that has been our strength. I do not believe every country on the Continent of Europe and within the EU is fully committed to that process at the present time. There are slight indications of a movement away from the centre. I think it is a dangerous place to go. If we really want to know what the dangers are in this respect, we can consult our combined history.

I welcome the success that has been achieved in respect of the issues in Poland. We are worried about some of the tendencies that have shown up in Hungary in recent times. We are worried about tendencies that have emerged in the last couple of years. We have spoken about such matters at this committee. It is not because we are furthest away from the immigration issue across Europe that I am saying that barbed wire and walls do not resolve a problem. Unless that is recognised by everyone right across Europe and the globe, we will have a serious issue to deal with at some time in the not too distant future. If we want to avoid conflict, we need to recognise that. It is very difficult to say to people that they are on the wrong side of a line or a border, that they must stay there and that we will ensure they do so. As an EU member state, Ireland must show solidarity with European principles in this regard.

I disagree with Senator Craughwell, who is now absent, in the context of the CAP. The policy will continue to be very important for this country and for a number of other food-producing countries throughout Europe. It is important that we do not lose sight of its importance. People have to eat. One of the reasons the European Economic Community was founded in the first instance was to ensure that starvation was eliminated. Europe had first-hand experience of starvation in the aftermath of the Second World War.

Like other members, I will have to go to the Dáil shortly. We would like to offer our congratulations to all the negotiators - officials and politicians - who took part in the crucial negotiations over the last couple of years. We wish them well in the future. We are absolutely certain that the route being pursued is the right one. There is no other route. We could not be in any other place.

We could not have done anything else for this island, in terms of North-South trade and the Good Friday Agreement. To act in any other way would have been a disaster. I compliment the Minister of State and offer her our support.