Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)

I express my respect for the verdict of the people. We live in a democracy and 53% of the electorate told us how they wished to vote. They did so and it is up to us as elected representatives to listen to those who voted.

The founding of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, followed in 1957 by the formation of the European Economic Community after the Treaty of Rome, was intended to promote an economic reality emerging from the embers of two world wars. Those industries perceived as the greatest facilitators of further bloodshed were indeed coal and steel. Some 55 or so years on we find the issue of energy supply still high on our radar but in a different guise, with rising energy prices affecting citizens throughout the Union and calls by European leaders to tackle the challenges of supply, demand and price.

The threat of global war has long been stifled by concerted European effort but if the forefathers of European integration had known of the global challenges of climate change now facing us, they would repeat their view that European integration is the way to address these most serious challenges. However, the bright shining ideas of Schumann, Jean Monnet, René Mayer and others got a little bit stuck on the way. I have said before that sometimes there is more fudge in Europe than there ever was in Bewley's cafés. It is certainly not all paté and sprouts in Brussels. Some politicians in Europe have a great taste for political confectionery but many people in Ireland know more about Manchester United than they do about the European Union. I was in a public place recently where a man mentioned a politician named Charlie Haughey. A young boy replied: "And who does he play for?" Is there any hope that the same boy will ever know who José Manuel Barroso is? Perhaps the Lisbon vote may change that.

Today is not a day of reaction to the vote, nor will tomorrow's meeting of the European Council or the days and weeks that follow. The first step is to acknowledge the division that exists between what we want people to support and what they actually support. We must analyse the cold hard facts of poll findings and the evidence of such polling. These findings are reliable and are compiled by institutions that adhere to strict methodological guidelines. We can see where we are after that. If we are to respect and serve the people, we must first listen to the echoes from the ballot box.

Perhaps it is worth noting today that when the European Coal and Steel Community was being formed, a committed integrationist, Charles de Gaulle, opposed the pact because the common assembly of the Community was not ratified by European referendum. My colleague and party leader, the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, alluded to the concept of a European Union-wide democratic mandate for further integration. While it might not be feasible, the lessons of history should be food for thought at this time.

My vision for Europe is one in which we recognise that the climate in the Union as founded has greatly changed. Our challenges are not those of the post-war world. Our Europe must be based not on fear, but on hope, on trust not doubt, people not bureaucrats, fair trade rather than free trade, peace not war. This is the Europe I want and in this period of reflection this is the argument on which moving forward as 27 countries should be based. I believe the people would listen to that message.

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