Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

I am very glad that Ireland and the Irish people have been given the opportunity to revisit their decision on the EU Lisbon treaty. I welcome the clear statement of principle to be put into the Constitution which prefaces the more technical legal provisions and which states: "Ireland affirms its commitment to the European Union within which the member states of that Union work together to promote peace, shared values and the well-being of their peoples."

Ratification of the treaty this autumn forms a crucial part of the much larger task of rebuilding confidence in this country and our economy and restoring a sense of direction in our relationship with Europe. While the initial decision made by the people in June 2008, at the end of a long boom, did not and could not take account of the horrendous global and domestic financial crisis only three months around the corner, the state of limbo in which it has left Ireland's long-term relationship with its EU partners arguably compounded the loss of confidence and the scepticism with which Ireland and its economy have since been regarded in many quarters.

The Irish people are sovereign but emerging from our current difficulties could be even more problematic without ratification of the Lisbon treaty. For many investors, particularly from the US, an important source of jobs, any uncertainty, whether justified or not, about Ireland's future position within the EU must be cleared up. This would mean there could be no mixed messages about Ireland's good standing at the heart of the European Union and ability to influence EU decision making rather than as a country which has decided to opt out of many issues, relegate itself to the sidelines and which would have the dubious honour of preventing the institutional consolidation of a European Union of 27 members under the Lisbon treaty as well as any further enlargement.

I congratulate the Taoiseach, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, as well as the Civil Service negotiators working with them, on the manner in which they have picked up the pieces over the past 12 months. They have demonstrated skill and patience in identifying and obtaining from the European Council the decision guarantees, protocols and reassurances that Ireland needs.

The voice of the people has been listened to and their principal concerns have been addressed. Having secured a hearing for Ireland's concerns, it is entirely logical that the Government and Oireachtas should take the EU's response back to the Irish people to give them the opportunity to review the position both in the light of concerns raised and addressed, and the very difficult economic, financial and employment position which has developed since the Irish people last voted in a referendum. Basic information, both on the Lisbon treaty and the guarantees and reassurances, is contained in the excellent White Paper, which I am sure will be reduced to a more general and accessible form.

I also express warm appreciation for the consistently pro-European position maintained by the Fine Gael and Labour parties, which belong to the Christian Democrat and Socialist groups in the European Parliament. I look forward to our partners, the Green Party, reaching a decision on whether it can now recommend support for the treaty. That party belongs to another European group, the Greens, which is in the main strongly pro-European and even federalist, especially within France and Germany.

I am glad that my own party's representatives in the European Parliament are now joining the mainstream European Liberal group and I look forward to the further development in our party of the liberal republican tradition, the origins of which go back to the United Irishmen.

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