Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

On employment rights, previous speakers made negative references concerning people coming to Ireland to be exploited. I accept that there are challenges in the context of social partnership, such as the need to ensure the proper protection of workers arriving in Ireland. However, those workers would not be arriving on our shores were it not for Ireland's success at the heart of Europe.

When people consider the Lisbon reform treaty and the imminent referendum, they will acknowledge that Europe has been good to Ireland in two respects, namely, infrastructural funding and allowing us to develop as a nation. It has allowed us to think outside our history and to embrace new ideas. We should be proud that our small country, which is on the periphery of Europe, is at the heart of the EU and is respected internationally.

While it has been stated that a political elite is trying to browbeat the people, the public has endorsed the European project wholeheartedly in every referendum bar one. Our people take pride in being at the political, commercial and cultural heart of Europe. Consider achievements in recent years. In education, for example, the ERASMUS project is of fundamental benefit to high-end graduates across Europe. Qualifications and accreditation from Irish universities and institutes of technology are recognised across Europe.

After a recent visit to India, I believe that our third level and fourth level facilities should be promoted to Indian students. India is a country of 1 billion people who see us at the heart of Europe and admire what we have achieved. They adopted many parts of our Constitution after their independence. Our countries may be different in terms of geography, demography and the challenges facing us, but one of the main reasons the students with whom I spoke wanted to come to Ireland was that they saw it as an international, outward-looking and visionary country that leads in all fields, not just software and economics, but also in politics. We should acknowledge this leadership. How much time have I remaining?

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