Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Politics is always about people but the debate on the last occasion became bogged down in detail about institutions, which turns people off. This country was always an information society. For 2,000 years we sent educators and missionaries all over Europe. The Irish, by the their nature, are a curious people. They are inquisitive and like to know the scale of problems and difficulties. Ireland has never rejected the European Union and I do not believe its electorate wants to do so now either. The reason the Irish did not support the Lisbon treaty on the last occasion was because of confusion and the inability of the political process to make them feel part of the European scene, make them want to approve the treaty because of what it means rather than reject it because of what it does not contain.

Ireland, with its population of 4.2 million, is part of a Union of 500 million. It is ironic that the eyes of Europe and the world now focus on Ireland. Bearing in mind the strength of the United States, India, China and emerging and burgeoning economies in the Far East, it is important to reflect on the assessed wisdom of international financial commentators to the effect that, in the next 20 years, the big economies will include Japan, India, China, Russia, South Africa, Brazil and the United States while Europe will be trailing behind. To keep services moving with an ageing population, the Union will have to have a clear immigration policy. At the many meetings I attended in Brussels, it was said we need a Union response because no country could deal with the phenomenon on its own given its scale. Prime Minister Gonzi of Malta said to me last week there are now thousands of illegal immigrants in his country. The scale is such that the number would be the equivalent of 500,000 in Germany.

There is an opportunity for a brilliant future for Ireland and we must take domestic action. There are difficulties, and differences of opinion arise between the Government and Opposition over the Government's handing of the financial crisis we face, but that is a matter of politics. The Fine Gael Party will campaign very strongly in support of the Lisbon treaty and in support of making people want to feel part of it and fully happy with it in the knowledge that voting "Yes" is to the benefit of themselves, their families, the nation and the European Union as a whole.

I welcome the support of the Taoiseach for the reappointment of José Manuel Barroso as President of the Commission. This appointment could be dealt with sooner rather than later. People expected that, once the European elections were over, the politicians would make such appointments. It is not feasible to leave the Commission headless until the late autumn. The matter should be dealt with sooner rather than later. While the European People's Party does not have an overall majority in the European Parliament, it is a matter for negotiation between it and the socialist or liberal groups to form a majority such that President Barroso can be appointed. In many ways he has been the face of Europe in recent years. He was active, energetic, attended events where appropriate, both within and without the Union, and did a first-class job for the Union.

While the Taoiseach, as leader of his party, is affiliated to a different group in the European Parliament from Fine Gael, I welcome his support. I hope the Government will examine the question of the audit of some of the directives that have been transposed. It is a sore matter and can be dealt with.

Perhaps when the Minister or Minister of State is responding, he might deal with the possible options for stabilising the dairy industry. It is of serious import in Ireland and is obviously a cause of considerable concern, particularly to those involved in the commercial dairy sector. This is of serious import here and is a cause of massive concern to those involved in the commercial dairy sector.

See this speech in context