Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

The categoric answer to the Deputy's question on whether the EU constitution will create a federal state is "Absolutely no".

On Deputy Gormley's point, I am amazed that he has documentation such as this so easily available. I thought it was a private document. I am pleased there is collaboration and communication across the membership of the House to ensure there is inclusivity.

In reply to Deputy McGrath, I am committed to inclusivity. As a party and as a Government, we have a personal, political and legal duty to respect the right of every person who is elected at whatever level. Once they get a mandate from the people, they have a right to be consulted and listened to. We felt it would be unfair to invade the privacy of Deputy Gormley's party in the debate it was having. We admire the debate which is taking place in his party.

I pay tribute to Deputy Gormley, Deputy Carey, Proinsias de Rossa, MEP, his excellency, Ambassador Bruton, and all those who represented Ireland at Convention level. They did an outstanding job for this country. Never before in the history of Europe did a small country like Ireland get such an opportunity to fashion the future constitutional requirements of the people of Europe. We held the Presidency of Europe, in which the Taoiseach led the conclusions to that debate professionally, politically and well. It was a great Irish team with outstanding diplomats working hard on a constant collaborative basis to get the best consensus for the future of Europe. Ireland played a major role and it behoves us all to ensure that we convey that message and the facts within the constitution to the people so that a small country which has played such a key role in Europe over the years and has gained so much from it can continue to fashion and lead Europe in the future. We have many friends of like mind in other member states, some of whom joined recently and many of whom have been there from the beginning.

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