Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)

I will take some injury time for the delay caused by interference to the microphone.

The deal reached last week threatens the multinational sector and our 12.5% tax rate. A more serious question is where is Ireland's place in Europe. Do we have any friends in Europe? The removal of the United Kingdom leaves us isolated at the table. We may be on the inside but we are on our own. The Taoiseach and his colleagues are fond of saying Ireland has earned great political capital in recent times by putting our house in order according to the diktats of Europe. I do not want to be patted on the back by Sarkozy and Merkel. The political capital we earned was used up yesterday when Kevin Cardiff's nomination was accepted by the European Parliament. It was used up in an unprecedented move to have the Government's nominee passed, mainly through the European People's Party, against the wishes of the relevant committee of the Parliament.

As the Acting Chairman is indicating I must conclude, I will make one final point. Treaty change requires a referendum. I reiterate the point made by my colleague, Deputy Boyd Barrett. Why are we so frightened of a referendum? It seems the only strategy being pushed by the Government at the weekend was to ensure a referendum does not take place because it would be defeated. We should be very happy to put a referendum to the people and make our arguments for or against, not only with regard to the previous deal but also the deal agreed at the weekend. Thus far and to its shame, the two pillars of the Government's strategy, namely, to save the euro and protect Irish interests, have not been achieved. It is up to Irish people to give a verdict on the agreement, not a Government which was dictated to by eurocrats, Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy.

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