Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Government policy is to ensure Ireland remains at the heart of the European Union. Arising from the vote and the decision of the people, we are examining how best we can ensure this. The legal position is that the Lisbon treaty cannot go ahead without 27 member states supporting it. However, rather than rush to hasty conclusions, we will have time to reflect and then map a definitive way forward. I am not so sure that the vote means that we no longer want to be at the centre of the European Union. That is one of the reasons we want to carry out this analysis. The Eurobarometer, carried out in conjunction with the Department of the Taoiseach, indicates that 80% of the people who voted still want to be part of the Union. One can form a judgment——

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