Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I join in giving a céad míle fáilte to the Speaker of the Knesset, a man with Belfast roots. The big interest of the people on this island is in securing a working peace accord in the Middle East which upholds the rights of the people of Israel and the rights of the people of Palestine. Hopefully, this visit will assist that process.

Deputy Martin says the Taoiseach is very passive on this issue. I disagree. The Taoiseach is very active on the issue. He supports this treaty and has made that clear. It is an austerity treaty and will institutionalise current Government policy. Yesterday, the Taoiseach waxed lyrical about the need to involve the Oireachtas and the public in European affairs. Invariably, however, and I agree with Deputy Martin in this regard, no respect is shown to the Oireachtas. We pick up tittle tattle, leaks, spin and media speculation. The Taoiseach has said it is his objective to be the Taoiseach who retrieves Ireland's economic sovereignty. This treaty is totally at odds with that objective. The Government must respect the Dáil and the people. I ask the Taoiseach to commit to ensuring that the Minister for Finance reports to the House on his discussions today in Germany and to holding a debate on this issue before he signs off on the final draft of the treaty.

On the referendum issue, this is not about giving legal advice. There is a matter of democratic principle here. Regardless of whether this is a constitutional or legal change, it is about enshrining austerity and the Taoiseach, as a democrat, must give the people their say.

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