Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Now that the intergovernmental treaty has been finalised, will the Taoiseach ensure, as an urgent decision, that the public can be properly informed about the treaty by publishing an explanatory guide to it? The people have not been kept informed adequately of the content of the treaty, what it is about or its objectives. Essentially, the people have been kept in the dark for far too long about this process during the past six months.

We are in the midst of the worst economic crisis the world - especially the eurozone - has seen since 1929. We have seen how European Union leaders are grappling with this crisis which has threatened and is threatening the survival of the euro and the eurozone. The people have responded in a constructive, responsible and resilient manner and we should trust the people's judgment. We should accept that during a series of difficult years they have responded in a resilient manner to the issues. Given the scale of what has taken place and what continues to take place - we are concerned about Greece and there are fresh concerns about Portugal - does the Taoiseach not believe it is morally right to consult the people on this treaty, especially given the centrality of our relationship with Europe with regard to our economic future and the future of jobs and so forth? We should not be afraid of consulting the people on this issue. Yesterday, the Taoiseach stated that the Government has nothing to fear from a referendum. The sense of bringing the citizens with us in terms of the European Union is an important concept and ideal. Not only is this relevant to Ireland, it is relevant and applicable to all EU member states in terms of the degree to which citizens have been left behind in the context of the decisions taken by political elites at European Union level. There are significant elements in this treaty, in terms of the ECJ and so on, that we would like to discuss at a future date, but the fundamental point is the need to consult with the people on this specific treaty. Does the Taoiseach agree there is a need to do that?

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