Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I welcome the opportunity to speak to the European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2006. The Bill is necessary to amend the European Communities Act 1972, to provide that certain parts of the treaty concerning the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union shall form part of the domestic law of the State once Ireland ratifies the treaty.

Before going into the details of the Bill, it is important, on Europe day, to reflect on the whole European project and the direction in which the EU is going. It is essential that those in the EU respect and listen to the dissenting voices on this issue and not dismiss those of us who challenge the EU as a bunch of euro-sceptics. Many of us have concerns about the direction of the EU. We are normal sensible taxpayers who want full co-operation, and political, economic and social security. However, we do not want a super state. We want to make our own laws and we want more respect for our Parliament. We do not want to be a county council in the EU. We are democrats and internationalists. I am an Irish citizen and I respect on an equal basis French, Bulgarian and Spanish citizens. I do not want that citizenship undermined by a so-called European constitution.

I have concerns about outside forces trying to subvert or undermine our national Parliament. To those who say I am wrong I challenge them to read the 1916 Proclamation to see that there is a complete sell-out when it comes to these core principles. We need a new vision for Ireland; we need a new vision for Europe. This new vision should be built on equality, respect and diversity without sticking one's nose in the State's internal affairs. I will use the tax issue as an example. Deputies on all sides of the House object whenever the EU hints it might or wants to interfere in our taxation policy and I agree with them. Why does this not happen with regard to other areas? I certainly do not want to share a common foreign policy with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, on Iraq or with the nuclear power brigade in the EU. Let us call a spade a spade and stop trying to con the people. We should be honest and open. A constitution means a state. The Government should tell the people that and stop trying to drag them along hoping they will not notice.

The Commission and the European movement desire us to celebrate today the Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950, which is why we are having special debates in the House. I draw Members' attention to the phrases in the declaration which state that it is "a first step in the federation of Europe" and that the proposal "will lead to the realization of the first concrete foundation of a European federation". These political objectives are usually omitted when the declaration is referred to and most people do not even know of their existence.

A federation is a state. However, for decades the champions of the EC for EU integration have all been swearing blind that they have no knowledge of any such plans. This is a lie they have been telling the people of the different European countries as the EEC, the EC and the EU have steadily acquired even more features of a super-national federation. We have a flag, an anthem, a parliament, a supreme court, currency, laws, battle groups and a code of fundamental rights. Now they hope to have a constitution with real citizens and citizenship obligations. This would leave the power to levy taxes as the only major power of government to remain at national level. The eurocrats clearly desire to obtain this right in time.

The Irish people do not want to become citizens of a federal Europe, which the Commission and its ideological hangers-on in the European movement have sought to construct for decades while pretending they are only concerned with jobs and economic growth. Do Members of this House want to become citizens of such a federation? Was that in the minds of the men and women of 1916, whom the Government purported to honour a few weeks ago? Already the EU is the source of two thirds of our laws, a matter not mentioned regularly in this House. Under the proposed EU constitution that proportion would increase. The power of the European Commission would increase correspondingly, as it has a monopoly in proposing all laws in the EU. It is no wonder the Commission has the gall to lash out millions of our money on Europe Day, with gimmicks, special supplements in our newspapers and political advertising in the print and broadcast media, all with the aim of persuading us to give it more.

On the Bill, I fully welcome the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania. I also encourage respect for nations and their citizens. I totally reject racism and I challenge those in this House and outside to tackle racism, like sectarianism, head-on in our communities. The problem exists: all we need to do is watch the rise of the BNP in England. We need to be vigilant and strong, and honest with our citizens. We need an urgent and honest debate on the European Union.

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