Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

Is cúis mhór áthais dom teacht isteach anseo agus páirt a ghlacadh ins an díospóireacht an-tabhachtach faoin mBille um an Ochtú Leasú is Fiche ar an mBunreacht 2008. Cuidighim leis an leasú seo, beidh mé ag cuidiú le mo chomghleacaithe uilig, polaitaíochta agus muintir na tíre, ar an reifreann a bhéas againn mí an Mheithimh seo chugainn. Le cúnamh Dé, beidh a lán daoine, an chuid is mó de phobail na tíre ag cuidiú linn, freisin.

It is an honour to have the opportunity to speak, at this historic time for our country, on the Twenty-eight Amendment of the Constitution Bill. I support the Bill and the referendum it will enable for the people of Ireland. Never before in the history of the State has an opportunity so great been given to the people, not only to show we have a democratic country and the power of the written Constitution under which we are all privileged to serve, but also to reflect the views of the vast majority of our fellow Europeans who want the European project to proceed and have an impact, in an inclusive way, on all the peoples of the Union. If we reflect on our history, including the revolution in 1916 and the civil war, culminating in the establishment of the State in 1922, we will realise its founding fathers would be proud of the successes we have achieved, even though there is some work yet to be done on the island. They would understand that their successors have continued to respect democracy and fulfil the constitutional requirement of equality of opportunity for all.

The history and evolution of Ireland are very similar to the history and evolution of the European Union. It, too, was born of conflict, after two world wars, on foot of the leadership and vision of individuals such as Monnet, Schuman and de Gaulle. They got together to ensure there would be a new opportunity to eliminate conflict and create a new structure emphasising people, democracy and economic growth such that there would never again be a disastrous conflict such as the two world wars. Ireland has moved forward in a similar vein.

I endorse the statements of Deputies Connaughton and Kennedy and all my colleagues who have spoken on this very important subject in the past month. Deputy Connaughton and I worked together as young Irishmen and Europeans in the early 1970s. I had just come out of school and was an enthusiastic young European guided by our fathers and colleagues who ensured we could make a democratic contribution such that the Irish people could avail of a global opportunity, albeit within the then European Economic Community. We were afforded a great opportunity at the time by the six founders of the European Economic Community to join that great group, becoming its seventh member, with the United Kingdom and The Netherlands.

Before we joined the European Economic Community in 1973, our main export was our brilliant people who built economies in other parts of the world. We obtained political freedom in the Republic in 1922 but were not able to achieve economic freedom or make use of the intellectual talent bank and many skills of our population on the island until we became a member of the Community. One should bear in mind our emphasis on education and the resources we received from the European Union for agriculture and infrastructure and through the Social and Regional Funds, framework programmes and various measures and directives. These resources continue to enhance our growing economy and gave us new options and confidence to build new markets in the United Kingdom, the rest of Europe and further afield. Thus, we have more than doubled the level of employment and increased our population.

I pay tribute to the Taoiseach on this historic day, the day of his last speech in the House. I thank him for his leadership in Ireland and the rest of Europe. He is now regarded as one of the great leaders of the European Union. He led the change in 2004 that expanded the Union to include ten new member states. The number of member states rose from 15 to 25 and there are now 27. Accession made democracy sustainable and afforded a transparent opportunity to all the new member states, as was afforded to Ireland in 1973. There is now the opportunity for us to consider what we have achieved and how we should move forward together.

I salute the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, and all his colleagues on their work in the European Union on behalf of Ireland. We work night and day to protect what is vital for Ireland. As politicians, legislators and members of the Government, we all work to protect and sustain our national interests.

The treaty on which we are to vote in June is more important than any other to the farming community. The one pillar that has sustained itself throughout the history of the European Union since 1957 has been the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP. No other pillar has sustained itself independently within the Union. It is vital that we protect the CAP, not just for Irish agriculture and rural life but for agriculture and rural life across the Union. By voting in favour of the treaty, we will have an opportunity to protect the CAP and the resources transferred thereunder. This will give greater impetus to the protection of rural Europe, including rural Ireland, and the agriculture and agri-food industries that are so important to the economy and GDP.

Voting in favour of the treaty will also reduce the capacity of those who try to undermine, on a consistent basis, the CAP and its importance and will protect the transfer of vital resources nationally and internationally. Over €2 billion per annum is received under the CAP. It is a question of our being able to offset our outward transfers as a net contributor, whereby we will be transferring resources as our GDP and economy grow. That will protect all our citizens, the Exchequer, our transfer of funds, our fiscal position and economic growth. Never before was it so important to have those who have benefited most from the European Union working together to achieve more, not only for themselves but for all European citizens.

The Charter of Fundamental Rights is vital and very similar to the Constitution. The European Union was born out of conflict. In this regard, we must remember the important contribution EU membership has made to peace on the island and the important work still to be done in Northern Ireland. The PEACE III position we have negotiated will result in the granting of €333 million to cross-Border projects in Northern Ireland. This is vital to our future and we must be eternally grateful for it. It mirrors the great contribution exemplified by the European project, the greatest project in the world for democracy, peace, prosperity and consensual conclusions to achieve progress for all citizens, individually and collectively.

On behalf of all my colleagues, I appeal to the people to endorse the reform treaty overwhelmingly when the opportunity is presented to them in June.

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