Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)

As we organise ceremonies to mark the centenary of 1916 and the ensuing War of Independence, the continuing European crisis looms as a forbidding backdrop. Our debate in this country has always been skewed by "follow the money" mantras which deflect from what could be a bigger master-plan. As in the Treaty negotiations, when Lloyd George described negotiating with de Valera as trying to pick up mercury with a fork, the federalisation of Europe debate, one of rational thought, views and opinions, is also like trying to pick up mercury.

Are we being sleepwalked into a federalised Europe? If so, what do the Irish sovereign people think of this and is it something we want? Federalism will downgrade Ireland to a province of Europe and, consequently, downgrade Leinster House to a very nice but, in effect, county council office. With economic policies being the starting block for building a federal Europe, what are we looking at and are we being played by the Pied Piper of Europe down a road where we may relinquish our sovereignty completely?

This debate is one that needs to be addressed. I would like to hear the Taoiseach's views on what many would see as failed plans to federalise Europe and how Ireland may well be set to revert to the dominion status of 1949, this time to Europe rather than to the Commonwealth.

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