Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I am pleased to have an opportunity to make a statement of support for the EU reform treaty. As the Minister of State mentioned earlier, it is a culmination of a lengthy process of reflection and negotiations since the failure to ratify the constitutional treaty in referenda in France and the Netherlands. When both countries voted against the new EU constitution, there was a great deal of uncertainty among EU leaders on how best to proceed. I can recall clearly on many occasions with the EPP group debating in the European Parliament on how the EU should proceed. I also remember the Taoiseach offering his comments to the European Parliament on the same issue. Regardless of the reasons for voting down the treaty, the EU was forced to change tack.

The new reform treaty is the result of that change of tack and is essentially an achievable compromise. It is not as ambitious a concept as an all-encompassing constitution for Europe, yet it preserves as much as possible from the constitutional treaty that was negotiated over a period of years in the Convention. As the EU grows and expands, the way in which we operate has to change if the EU is to function in a workable, effective and positive manner. Structures need to change to reflect the democratic and managerial challenges of enlargement and the new political challenges that face us, such as terrorism and climate change. Standing still will simply lead to paralysis in the EU.

We now have a reform treaty which is a series of amendments to existing treaties that build upon them and improve them. However, from a personal point of view, I would have been far happier with one single document, such as a constitutional treaty that we could send to our friends across the Atlantic or anywhere else in the world that would explain in clear language what the EU is about and how it functions. Ireland will probably be the only country in the EU to have a referendum on the reform treaty. For this reason, I would have expected the Government parties to work with all parties, but especially Fine Gael, in the build up to improving the content of the treaty. The Government will need our support in a referendum next year. The reform treaty will have Fine Gael's support, as have previous referenda in Ireland. This is in contrast to parties like Sinn Féin and the Green Party when it was on this side of the House. Fine Gael will not attempt to raise unfounded fears or warp the content of the reform treaty and its potential effects on Irish people or Europeans. We will campaign to inform people fully on the effects of the treaty.

For these reasons, the lack of consultation with Fine Gael by the Government parties is completely unacceptable. I refer to what has become the controversial issue for the Government, namely, reserving the right to opt out of treaty provisions. Apart from the intrinsic importance of cross-border crime and co-operation, Ireland is sending out an image of aligning itself with other eurosceptic countries. Henceforth, Ireland and Britain will be bracketed together in this regard. I believe that keeping the option open to opt out on certain issues undermines our ability to shape and negotiate policy in the field of justice and home affairs.

I listened to the Minister for Foreign Affairs speak on this issue last weekend and have not been convinced by his arguments. Moreover, I do not believe that the Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs is convinced either. Unfortunately, the Government has decided to take a different tack from the main Opposition party on this issue, which I hope will not lessen the impact of either side in respect of the referendum.

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