Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

They are often written out of Irish history because of party affiliations in this country. What the European Union has achieved economically for Ireland is put in the shade when one considers what it has achieved by way of peace, trust and alliance-building between European countries. It is an example to other parts of the world. That is not in my script, but I am saying it because I am passionate about the issue. I spent three years of my life — a substantial chunk of it — working in Brussels. The Minister, Deputy Harney, is correct that Ireland's power and influence in Europe is not based on our voting strength, which at any rate is not reduced in the proposed treaty. Even if that were the case, whether Ireland has 0.8% or 1.1% of the population of the European Union is irrelevant. The Union works by countries working in solidarity with one another and trying to understand the problems of citizens and member states. That is the great power of the European Union which has brought us this far and will enable us to overcome the current crisis at the centre of which this country lies.

While some have used diplomatic language, there is deep dissatisfaction, frustration and anger that a treaty which has taken so long to develop is under threat. However, as democrats there will be a recognition in other countries much larger than Ireland that action must be taken to try to solve the problem Irish people have with the treaty. We, in this country, must work together to try to produce initiatives and ideas to facilitate this process because we cannot expect the problem to be solved by Brussels.

Anyone who takes the Sinn Féin attitude that we will say "No" unless we secure everything we seek or believes the European Union would have got off the ground with that type of mentality is being naive.

See this speech in context