Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The meeting was about the euro and the eurozone crisis. The presentation I made in raising that issue, which was sent formally to President Van Rompuy, was intended to explain to people the challenge a country like ours faces.

I noted Deputy Martin's comment to the effect that he would not have signed up to this agreement. The consequence would have been that Ireland would have been the first member of the eurozone to walk away from this agreement. That would have left us in a very different position from that of any other eurozone country, a position where, after 40 years of negotiation, contact and dialogue with European colleagues, we would be put on the outside.

See this speech in context