Mae Sexton (Longford-Roscommon, Progressive Democrats)

The Progressive Democrats is a strong supporter of the EU project and recognises the positive impact the EU has had on Irish development and society and the positive role Ireland has played and continues to play at EU level.

Today, Europe Day, is only one small part of the important larger project, that of encouraging and engaging the citizens of Europe to inform them about European affairs and to demystify and clarify the relationship between the Union and Ireland, particularly in light of the proposed constitutional referendum and its recent rejection in France and in the Netherlands.

The Third Annual Report of the European Union Scrutiny Act, the subject of the discussion, reviews part of the work of the Oireachtas, in an attempt to be more transparent to the citizen and to highlight the relationship between the Union and Ireland. The EU Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny has dealt with nearly 1,500 documents originating at EU level and the Joint Committee on European Affairs has held many pre-Council meetings with relevant Ministers, all necessary and important work, but in regard to the most pressing challenge facing Ireland and the Union, they are in some ways peripheral.

The focus of the White Paper on European Communication Policy is on delivering tangible results in areas that are important to the European citizen, the secondary objective being to make the EU framework more democratic. While the second objective complements the scrutiny role, it becomes somewhat academic if we do not get the first part right. The work of the Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny, the new communication action plan, the so-called D plan on democracy, dialogue and debate, and the White Paper are all welcome, but are they enough in the current context?

Ireland's relationship with the Union is changing. During the years we have benefited greatly from the EU, particularly in agricultural subsidies and Structural Funds. However, because of reforms of the CAP and our improved economic performance that picture is changing. Coupled with the fact that Ireland will soon become a net contributor to the EU, there has been and will continue to be immediate consequences for our citizens as a result of developments at Union level.

I refer to three examples. The European Central Bank interest rates will increase by a percentage point over the next 12 months, and Irish home owners will feel the financial impact of that increase. Second, changes at EU level to price structures and support subsidies for the sugar beet industry have meant the closure of the sugar industry here. Third, people in this country have increasing fears about so-called jobs displacement. I welcome the proposed review of the period of reflection by EU Foreign Ministers at the June meeting. One could ask what de facto tangible results have emerged from the work that has been done to date. What results are evident for the ordinary citizen? If the objective of the period of reflection, and the subsequent review to take place this June, was to help to clear the way for progress on the successful ratification of the proposed EU constitution, how far have we come in that respect?

It is worth examining a recent measure of how the EU is perceived in Ireland. I refer to a survey that was conducted in autumn 2005. I remind the House of the three issues I mentioned earlier — interest rates, the sugar beet industry and the displacement of jobs. I acknowledge that statistics can be interpreted in many ways. One report might point out that 75% of people are happy, whereas another report will say that one in four people is discontent. The same is true of Eurobarometer figures. I am concerned that, during this period of evaluation of the benefits of Ireland's membership of the EU, there has been a four-point decrease in the percentage of Irish people who regard EU membership as a good thing. The findings of the survey have some other worrying aspects. While the absolutely fantastic work of the Forum on Europe and other groups which promote the EU is to be commended, we need to consider whether that work is having an impact. Could it be argued that we are engaging with the usual suspects — Departments and local, regional and national Government agencies? Some 56% of Irish people are in favour of the proposed EU constitution, 31% are undecided and just 13% are opposed to it. These figures are extremely good by comparison to our European neighbours, some of which have turn-outs of just 35% in elections.

During the recent series of statements on the March meeting of the European Council, it was interesting to hear the Council's view that since the French and Dutch referendums on the proposed EU constitution there has been a particular focus on showing EU citizens that the EU works on their behalf. The relaunch of the Lisbon Agenda and the renewal of the EU's emphasis on jobs and growth took place in that context. What tangible results have been realised as a result of this focus, however? It was intended that the period of reflection and the new White Paper would represent adequate responses to the concerns which have been voiced by EU citizens and would clear the way for the progress to be made in respect of the ratification of the proposed constitution. Are we making progress with cynical and disinterested citizens, those between the ages of 18 and 25, who have been statistically shown to be less likely to be in favour of the proposed constitution, or those who have fears of jobs displacement? How will the placing of renewed emphasis on the Lisbon Agenda, as well as on jobs and growth, encourage the three groups of people I have mentioned to support the proposed constitution?

The Third Annual Report on the Operation of the European Union (Scrutiny) Act 2002 highlights some of the efforts being made in this House to clarify the relationship between Ireland and the EU. That is important, as is the celebration of Europe Day, but specific efforts have to be made to show Irish and EU citizens who have a negative view of the European project that such matters are as important as we think they are. I do not agree with the suggestion in the White Paper that it is too simplistic to think that advertising is the way to breach the confidence deficit. While it might be true to suggest we should not concentrate our efforts to contact or target young people on newspapers, never mind White Papers, we could make better use of the Internet, podcasting, the Bebo website, text messaging, sports events, fashion, popular presenters, television shows and funded youth exchanges, all of which are popular mediums which are widely accessible and accessed by the young. If we cannot think outside the box to address these serious matters, we will continue to preach to the converted. Not only will we risk a repeat of the result of the first referendum on the Nice treaty, but we will also put in danger what the EU has to offer to Ireland and Ireland has to offer to the EU in the future.

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