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

I welcome the ambassador to our meeting and wish her well during the Romanian Presidency. I have no doubt she will do a good job. Notwithstanding the fact, her country comes into the Presidency at a very trying time. Her Excellency Mrs. Breazu was at our centenary celebrations over the past number of days. It is amazing to ponder how things have changed over the past 100 years. In some ways they have not changed at all. Some of the same issues were as topical 100 years ago as they are today, which is sad and unfortunate.

I thank Romania and the other European member states for their support in the negotiations that have been taking place and which are still unfinished. These are, as we all know, very important negotiations. It is a very trying time for this country and for the European Union. It is not just a test of Ireland's mettle or the UK's mettle; it is a test of the mettle of the European Union and what it stands for in the future. Whatever comes out of this will have a long and lasting impact on the European Union, its composition, its attitude to the world and the world's attitude to it. It is important we recognise that whatever is eventually decided must be with the agreement of all concerned. There should be no coercion and nobody should be kicked into a position of having to do something. That applies right across Europe. We have discussed many times in our meetings that every member of the European community has a role to play. That role changes from time to time but cohesion, which Her Excellency Mrs. Breazu mentioned in her speech, is hugely important because 100 years ago was a troubled time across Europe. People were deciding which way they should go. They went in different directions and, ultimately, it was a huge calamity. It was known to many people at the time the route they were taking was the wrong one. We have had 100 years to ponder. We have learned much in the meantime. We have had advances of technology and science. We hope we can put it to good use in the time that lies ahead.

We hope when the Brexit issue is finally resolved, it is resolved satisfactorily from the point of view of Ireland, which has to be that also of the European Union, and from the point of view of our overseas neighbours in the UK. The presumption that we have to take what we get, which has emerged in some quarters in recent times, is not well placed. It is a dangerous presumption, a dangerous way for Europe to go and a dangerous way for Europe to be propelled in the future. My hope is the remaining time available in the Brexit negotiations will be put to very good use to mend any fences that have broken or fallen down. Populism has been referred to already. Many countries across the globe have an upsurge of populism at present. It is not a great idea. It has not worked in the past. It led to mass destruction in the past. A short time out for everybody to read a little bit of our most recent history should be sufficient to tell us all we should not take that route.