Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)

This is an important debate to which I am sure we will have an opportunity to return. The first thing that strikes me about the original motion is the wording. I do not know if others read them, but I tend to read motions and counter-motions. I do not know whether that puts me in a minority. The motion includes phrases such as "resist all efforts to force Ireland into a fiscal union", "that we refuse to sign" whatever it is that we are fearful of, and that we are trying to resist "changes that hand over our economic sovereignty to a European body". Whatever we have achieved since we achieved independence and sovereignty, the Technical Group, or any Member of the House, could do better than pursue that line of argument, that it is entirely about resistance, that there is a threat and that there are bogeymen who are coming to get us. That comes across in the Sinn Féin speeches also, to which I will return.

There has been much advice for the Taoiseach on what he should do at the meeting, which is fair enough. There is reference to items that should be protected, the bottom line, a red line, "don't do this, don't do that, don't listen to this, don't argue about that, don't attend to this or that proposal," but there is nothing about a vision for the future in many of the speeches made, about what we should do or consider. Would the Opposition not be prepared to consider anything in the greater interests of the people and Europe? Is it all about resistance and putting up a wall around the country? Is it all about ourselves alone, as if ourselves alone, sinn féin, could solve the big problems of the people or Europe?

People have moved on from the notion that we can settle things ourselves. We are part of a global world. I do not say this as a cliché; rather it is a central political question and I say it as a social democrat. I think some members of Sinn Féin are social democrats, although I am not sure. Unlike some in the House, I have respect for that party which has considerable numbers in this House on this occasion, but I would like to hear a little more from its members about the future of the country and a vision for Europe. Deputy Adams says he is in favour of a different type of European Union. What is he talking about? Where is that different type?

Can we address rampant, unregulated global capital by ourselves? Is Sinn Féin joking? Can we solve the problem of labour standards internationally by ourselves? The answer is absolutely not. Can we solve the problems of climate change ourselves? Pull the other one. Sinn Féin may have fooled some people during the years with that line of thinking, but it does not fool me and colleagues in this House. This is a significant issue and challenge for the people. Members of Sinn Féin can smile, but they have nothing to say in response. I appeal to them to come into the House on a future occasion and join in the political debate. They should give us their answers as to how we should address the issue of global capital which has no interest in the sovereignty of individual nations. It has moved on from the question of sovereignty. The issue of democracy is now more important than the threat to the sovereignty of individual nations vis-À-vis each other.

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