Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I thank everyone in this House and everyone in this country who has engaged in the two referenda. I am somewhat mystified at comments made by Deputy Ó Snodaigh about the possibility of there being some sort of democratic deficit. The Irish people have spoken clearly. When one takes the aggregate of the "Yes" and the "No" votes in both referenda, they have spoken even more clearly.

We have gone through a remarkable period in terms of our relationship with the European Union. I pay a particular tribute to the leaders and members of the Opposition parties who put party politics to one side to carry this important referendum. From time to time we have a moral responsibility in this House and in the other House to put partisan politics to one side and to deal with the greater public interest.

The Irish people have shown extraordinary forbearance in the past two referenda and they have shown again their extraordinary interest in being at the heart of Europe. That is where we belong. That is where our republicanism comes from and that is where our future lies. I take particular pleasure in the fact that we have gone through this legislation and it is now ready to move to the other House. I hope that in the next day or two we will be in a position to lodge the instruments of ratification in Rome. We will have shown the rest of Europe that we as a nation value our place at the heart of the European Union, that we value the Union and we share with the other approximately 490 million people a common sense of purpose, place and follow certain values that we all hold dear, namely, democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

I pay my respects to people who over the years have canvassed on the "No" side. There are many good people whose views I do not agree with, but who were not in it just for mischief, they were in it because they believed firmly in what they were saying. That, again, is part of democracy, and democracy was played out in a very real way in our nation on 2 October. Other nations did not have that opportunity. The drafters of our Constitution were very wise when they decided that the only sovereign authority to amend the Constitution was the people. The people have spoken clearly. It is now our responsibility when the treaty finally takes effect to show that we in both Houses are capable of dealing with the new challenges, as so many Deputies have said, of Europe in an open, transparent and democratic way and fighting the case and the cause of Ireland. I thank Deputies for their contributions, courtesy and kind words.

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