Mr. Joe Noonan:

That is a great question. The approach to it might be to look at what the EU's most senior people say about the direction of travel right now. Kaja Kallas, the High Representative for foreign affairs and a vice-president of the Commission, said this a couple of days ago:

And what I want to stress to all of those representatives coming from countries that are much further from Russia, look at the world map. Europe is a very small continent. Whatever happens in one part of Europe has an effect on us all, and we are only strong when we act together, when we act together in NATO, when we act together, in Europe, a stronger European Union is also stronger NATO.

I think that is the direction of travel. She said it and I am not going to disagree with her.

Sometimes we do not respect ourselves enough. We have devised over centuries a brilliant form of government and control. We have President Michael D. Higgins in the park. I have the privilege of going to a garden party after this. Uniquely from a lawyer's point of view, I will hit three Houses of the Oireachtas in one day. It is something I feel quietly proud about. At times there is a tension about views the President expresses, which some in the political sphere may feel uncomfortable about. I think that is great and you would not get it in many other places. We should respect the development of our worldview over centuries and be slow to listen to people with a very different agenda who suggest we change it. I agree with the Deputy that change has to be looked at but this involves people with strong feelings. Senator Gallagher used the word "passion". Ms Kallas is a passionate woman. There has been criticism of her comments about Ireland in the past and I am staying away from that, but I go by what she says about the future she sees. Is that the future we want?