Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There is clearly much to improve in the European Union. Although we are slowly moving towards a more democratic set of circumstances, there is a lot of work to be done in terms of banking union, etc. Overall, however, the European Union has been good for Ireland and every other member, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain. We need one another. We live in a world in which the individual nation state is much too small to stand on its own, unless it is one such as India. We are far better if we work together. We come from the same cultural background considering our Christian and social heritage. Therefore, there is no reason we should not work together.

I want to use my few minutes to appeal to the people of Britain to wake up and have sense with regard to their attitude to the European Union. The Union is where it is at nowadays. Eight of Britain's ten major trading partners are from the European Union. The only two that are non-EU countries are the United States and China. Although the United States is so much bigger than Germany, it is not really very far ahead of it in terms of Britain's trade with it.

Approximately two weeks ago, with other Members of the Oireachtas I met Members of the British Parliament. They had serious concerns about the direction of Britain. It is really important for both them and us that they hang in and that we use every opportunity to encourage the United Kingdom to stay with us and work with us. It is not in our interest for it to leave the Union, and it is certainly not in its interest. I hope that after the UKIP is exposed as being foolish in terms of politics, the United Kingdom will take stock and realise that its best interests lie with the Union.

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