Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State and his officials for his presentation and bringing us up to date on developments in Europe. I agree with Senator Craughwell and the Minister of State. There is a growing recognition across Europe about the pivotal nature of Brexit discussions, and the Irish authorities have played a significant role in informing our European colleagues about that. We need to emphasise that again and again. I was at a meeting recently where we were complimented for being the most eloquent in terms of informing our colleagues at all levels, in Parliament, the Commission, and with the chief negotiators and I compliment the Minister of State, the Taoiseach, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and others who each took their turn at working on this. It is recognised and the sensitive nature of the Irish position is at the finger-tips of every person of influence in Europe.

We have to proceed in negotiations in a way that is to our benefit. We did not cause this situation, it came upon us as a result of decision by a member state, which it is entitled to do. However, there are consequences which remain to be seen. It is essential that we reiterate what the Minister of State, the Taoiseach and various people in this room and in opposition have stated, that the island of Ireland is an entity and must be treated as such and that the island, North and South, retains all the benefits including the protection of the peace process and all that goes with it. We need to retain all beneficial aspects that we have enjoyed, including the peace process from European membership.

Transitional measures have been mentioned. I would warn against transitional measures being used to ease our thinking on matters that might be unpalatable to us in the future. Those transitional measures should not be rugs that can later be pulled from under our feet, when it is too late to negotiate the main issues arising from Brexit.

I do not need to say this to the Minister of State, but we need to emphasise that it is vital we ensure that we continue to attract foreign direct investment to this country. We must not be forced to impose taxes on profits that FDI firms in this jurisdiction make in other jurisdictions, along the lines of the proposal before the European courts.

The danger of something like that happening would be hugely detrimental to foreign direct investment in this country. It would be far better for all foreign direct investment to go to whichever country it saw fit or chose, in the first instance. For one European country to become the tax collector for moneys earned in other European countries in respect of any foreign direct investor would be a huge blow to the attractiveness of this jurisdiction as a location for investment. I do not have to tell the Minister of State all of that but it would do no harm if he emphasised this to our European colleagues.

The future of Europe is a hugely important issue. Presumably, the intention is to address the issues that have been particular barbs over the past number of years. I can never understand - I repeat what I have said in the past and it has been said by everybody else as well - why each member state feels it wishes to have more influence and as a result exert its influence on the European Union. Somebody has missed the point somewhere along the route. Each member state should have brought to the table a collection of measures to which each can subscribe and which can become part of the strength of the European Union, to which each member state can continue to subscribe. That is not happening at present and has not happened over the past number of years. Individual member states have poked holes in the European fabric. They have sought to set themselves apart from the general direction in which Europe was supposed to be heading. As a result, our next door neighbour has taken a route that it viewed as available. Other member states are developing similar thoughts, a situation that will have consequences for us. I hope that during the current debate on the future of Europe, it should address those issues with a view to ascertaining the extent to which each member state contributes to a package of measures to which they can subscribe and support. As the previous speaker has said, going home afterwards and blaming the European Union for things that have not been to a member state's satisfaction is not the way to do things and we will not have such a Europe.

Ireland's geographic position in terms of isolation from the centre of Europe must be borne in mind. Each remaining member state must recognise that Ireland, as importers or exporters, is unable to drive across Europe to deliver or collect goods. We can only remedy the situation by establishing new transit routes. We will continue to be members of the European Union after Brexit. We will negotiate in the current climate as members of the European Union. We should use all of that to good effect to ensure that we are not part of the swings and roundabouts that are convenient for other countries but where we pay the price. I do not think we will and I hope we will not pay the price.

Energy and climate change are focal issues in the discussion on the future of Europe. It is hugely important that Ireland maintains a strong position on the area for many reasons, such as the substitution of imports and so on.

One of my criticisms of Europe over the past number of years surfaced when some member states felt that they should unilaterally take a decision on, for example, the refugee crisis. Why should one or more members states decide they cannot accept refugees? I refer especially to those member states that are located in areas that have a considerable historical experience of refugees. I mean in the context that they should and could be quick to recognise the plight of refugees. The saddest element is the barbed-wire response, which must never happen again. It was a blight on Europe. We were able to see the iconic vision of razor wire to greet children who were on the run from something over which they had no control. The fact that nothing happened when an individual or individual member states took that route was a weakness in the cohesive image of Europe. It was a huge drawback in terms of achieving what we all need to achieve and thought we were part of. I am not directly criticising the countries that shall remain nameless but are well known to us all. Those countries should have felt that the European Union as a whole would have supported them in the location, treatment and protection of refugees. There should not have been a departure from unity throughout the European Union on those issues. Razor wire was a sad sight to see and the image has been broadcast all over the world. It is not a great advertisement for Europe. I am annoyed the most when some spokespersons in individual members states in the Union try to justify the situation. There is no justification for such images, there should never be and they should never be accepted.