Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

At the same time, however, the Deputy is telling me not to kowtow to bullying exercises. There is no bullying taking place; member states are stating positions. Ireland must decide where this leaves us, what we want to do about it and which of the concerns raised it will be possible to have addressed in a way that would give people more confidence on some of the issues. That is my job and responsibility.

Deputy Ó Caoláin can remain on the Opposition benches, from which he can continue to argue that the Irish people has spoken and that is the end of the matter but I have to determine what is in our national interest arising out of that decision, while also respecting it. The idea that this matter is done and dusted, we can proceed as before, our position has not changed, our interests are fine and we can wait to see whether others will decide to renegotiate the treaty, is wrong. Other member states have stated their position.

Obviously, if we maintain our present position and the treaty is not ratified, it will create a new political situation at European level, which I do not believe would be in our interests. In the meantime, I will do my job, which is to see in what way I can address some of the concerns being raised. I will establish from member states at the December Council what precisely is available, rather that what the Deputy claims is or should be available, in this 27-way street as opposed to two-way or one-way street. A consensus has been built up over many years of negotiation and we have made a certain decision which others respect. Having established what further issues can be addressed to us, we will return to the House and determine where we will go from there.

One cannot continue to carry on as if the realities are as set out by Deputy Ó Caoláin. All the realities have to be put on the table and if the reality is that Irish people decide they do not want to be part of the building up of the institutions of the European Union or the direction in which it is going, let us have a clear understanding of how that affects our interests. Let us have a debate on the issue.

Let us understand what we are doing as a consequence. I am not questioning the decision. That decision was taken. Decisions are taken by democratic vote in parliaments and by governments and local authorities every day of the week. However, I would be a long time waiting for Deputy Ó Caoláin's view of the world to extend to me.

See this speech in context