Eoin Ryan (Dublin South East, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2006 which deals with the accession of Romania and Bulgaria into the EU. Romania and Bulgaria have made significant progress in preparing themselves for accession to the European Union for which they deserve to be congratulated. It is to be hoped they can reach the targets set for them by the agreed date and then join the European Union.

However, we would be foolish to ignore certain reports which deal with the manner in which these countries deal with crime and corruption and these reports are of concern. We would be foolish not to debate the reports openly and state that certain criteria must be met before such countries can join the EU. These reports will be made public next week in Strasbourg and many people will be very interested in reading them. I hope the two countries will overcome these problems in time for their accession on the agreed date. Considering some of the issues which have been raised by Deputy Costello such as drugs and organised crime in Europe, such issues do not seem to have been properly dealt with in Bulgaria and Romania but I hope they can be dealt with before the end of the year.

Before the EU was enlarged to 25 member states, many people were of the view this would cause huge problems for workers in the original 15 member states, but this has not happened. In recent weeks, Commissioner Almunia published a detailed report which showed there had been very significant economic benefit for both the new accession countries and the original 15. Poland and Czechoslovakia were the chief beneficiaries but other accession countries have also benefited, as have the original ten member states. Some people warn that terrible things will happen when the EU is enlarged but if it is properly planned and properly done, it can and will be of economic benefit to all the citizens of the European Union.

The services directive was the cause of much concern in this House. I wish to correct Deputy Costello and inform him it was the Bolkestein directive, not the McCreevy directive.

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