Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

I refer to the Tánaiste's sister parties throughout Europe which have serious concerns about this treaty, most notably from the possible next president of France, François Hollande, who has expressed significant concerns about the treaty and its implications, its anti-jobs and growth agenda. He has stated he would seek to renegotiate it. This is a very interesting position. The Dutch Labour Party approach is that it does not believe this insane focus on targets without any real plan for recovery, jobs and growth. The social democrats in Germany and the European trade union confederation have expressed concerns. All the traditional brothers and sisters of the Tánaiste's party in the struggle for a social Europe are deeply alarmed at this treaty. I ask the Tánaiste in that context how he can have any passion or vigour when he is campaigning for this treaty in the time ahead. He will be out of kilter with the views of those who have worked with him over the years in Europe.

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