Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this important motion. The EU is in a crisis of epic proportions. It is not of our making, as the Taoiseach acknowledged in his state of the nation address, yet he is forcing the Irish people to pay for the reckless lending of German and French banks. At the time of the bailout, Irish banks owed German and French banks €103 billion and more than €60 billion, respectively. We have saved their banks for them, which is the reason we are the best boys in the class.

The so-called markets, the ECB and "Merkozy" have forced regime change on two European democracies. Governments of technocrats have been forced on Greece and Italy. It only took the Greeks to consider having a referendum on austerity for the German-French axis to overthrow them. Is this the democratic union of partners of which the Irish have been told every time we vote in referenda? Recently, German Government advisers warned against loose talk, advising against statements that Europe will speak German as this could provoke hostility abroad. They stress that Germany must appear conscious of its power while exercising modesty and discretion in its comportment to avoid provoking resistance. That is a dangerous precedent. If passed, this motion gives the Taoiseach a clear mandate from the democratic Parliament of the Irish people to go to Europe and state clearly where the Irish people stand on the proposals for the creation of a fiscal union, basically forming a federalised super state dominated by Germany with the French hanging on to the coat tails trying to look like they are relevant.

The Taoiseach has to defend Irish sovereignty at the summit at the weekend. It is not enough to go there and meekly take what is dished out by "Merkozy". Looking for concessions on bailout interest rates or coming back Neville Chamberlain-like, waving no increase in corporation tax in the air, will not cut it at this week's summit. In his state of the nation address the Taoiseach invoked the treaty of 1921 as his model of independence. If he comes back from Brussels with a federal fiscal union then he will be the Taoiseach that will have made Ireland a province once again.

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