Joe O'Reilly (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I warmly congratulate the Minister of State on being elected a vice president of the European People’s Party, EPP, at the plenary session of the party’s congress. That involved achieving support from several countries, including some where the party is in government. It is a huge personal achievement for the Minister of State and an important one for the country and will enhance its influence within the EPP, which is a significant political force in most European countries.

I am very happy that the Taoiseach recently indicated in London his broad support for the Prime Minister. The Government should give clear support to the Prime Minster to achieve the kind of reforms he wants to achieve. Most of the reforms he wishes to achieve can only be good at an operational level. There is merit in reducing bureaucracy and in keeping good State institutions going, as the Chairman mentioned in respect of the Competition Authority and the Fiscal Advisory Council. While monetary and banking union are cardinal principles, progress on them should be secondary to making sure we achieve the necessary compromises to keep our good friend and ally the United Kingdom within the EU. It is our biggest trading partner and we have ties of kinship there. It is extremely important from my perspective as a Border representative that we do not re-establish the Border as we are normalising society there. Good progress has been made recently on dealing with criminality around it and I hope there will be further progress there. It is important to gradually make the Border irrelevant from a practical point of view.

I would like to have addressed other issues the Minister of State addressed but I am happy with his general viewpoint on them. I am sure other members will address them.

I would like a clear statement from him that we are very much in the business of accommodating, and working with, the UK and providing the Prime Minister with the kind of “reforms” that would give him a case to keep the UK within the EU. The EU will be a much richer place and more powerful diplomatically and politically and from all perspectives with the UK as a member. I need to go home to the people I represent on the Border with that clear statement.