Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

This debate provides us with an opportunity to have a broader discussion as the Bill is somewhat technical in nature as if gives effect to the changes agreed by the Heads of Government in June. I wish to pick up on a number of points mentioned by Deputy McHugh. It is important to try to remove some of the myth that has surrounded the transition from one Government to another. There has been an effort by some of Deputy McHugh's colleagues to suggest that somehow the Irish position in Europe had become extremely sullied and we were being seen in extremely negative terms there. That is not the case from my vantage point - I am not being party political on this. I had the benefit of visiting Brussels on Monday as part of a delegation from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs. The myth that there had been a magnificent change of direction is not the case. While I do not want to rerun the general election debate-----

See this speech in context