Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

It was the day after the referendum count when we realised who they were. It was most extraordinary. There were posters stating "People died for your freedom. Do not throw it away." Who were they?

Who were the people who went over to London in triumphant procession to lecture the Tory eurosceptic colleagues across the water in the past couple of days and on whose behalf did they do it? What really galled me was to see the collection of eurosceptics from all over Europe rolling around laughing at the scene as it unfolded, that Ireland, an influential driving force within the European Union, should find itself to some extent marginalised. Let those who say they know better show us how the better deal can be achieved and let us hope it does not take 30 or 40 years to do. We only get opportunities once or twice in our lives. This opportunity came up but we failed to take it. I hope that another opportunity will come up and that we will be able to explain matters better and get a different result.

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