Arthur Spring (Kerry North-West Limerick, Labour)

Some people in the Opposition parties are being very irresponsible on this matter. On the other hand, I commend the Fianna Fáil Party which, unpopular as it has been in recent times, has opted not to destroy the country. It is doing the prudent thing by the people in this matter. However, there are some who are clearly opposing the treaty for their own political gain. That is reckless behaviour. The Sinn Féin Party, in particular, should be honest about the stance it has taken.

The troika deal is not exactly what we envisaged as the way forward for our country as we approach the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the State. It is a question of taking incremental steps. There is no pixie dust or magic wand to fix the problem or if there is, I have not heard about it. This is a complex issue and I strongly welcome the opportunity to put the proposal to the people by way of referendum. It will allow people to take ownership of the decisions that must be made by considering whether their preference is for stability or uncertainty. If the treaty is considered as a ship leaving port, with all of the European Union member states on board, the question is whether we have a lifeboat. Voting "No" in the referendum will deny us access to that lifeboat, in the form of the European Stability Mechanism, ESM, should we need it in future.

We are dealing with a complex issue, as is the case in respect of most Government business. For those with a less engaged attachment to politics, it boils down to a question of trust. Do they trust Fine Gael, the Labour Party, Fianna Fáil and the Independent Members who support this treaty or would they prefer to depend on Sinn Féin to run the country? Fourteen months ago the people entrusted us to fix the situation for the betterment of all citizens, including those who have had to leave the country seeking work. The treaty will not come into play until such time as the IMF has left these shores. I hope to celebrate that day with great aplomb. It is about confidence, not austerity; responsibility, not recklessness; and insurance, not blackmail. I am happy to canvass for this proposal and I urge colleagues to do likewise. The referendum date will be an important day in the history of the State. A failure to ratify the treaty will leave us in a position of enormous uncertainty, with an unclear road to recovery.

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