Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak to this motion. I also commend and thank my colleague, Deputy Pringle, on tabling this important motion as the future of this country is at stake.

Our people have a duty to be informed and we as public representatives have a statutory duty to keep our citizens and civil society informed. The motion is also very relevant in the current economic climate where we have mass unemployment and poverty, and small businesses are being wiped out. We need to take a closer look at the economic policies of the eurozone leaders which appear to have lost touch with the people.

Each day in my Dáil office or constituency office in Donnycarney, people contact me about major economic difficulties in their lives. They are real people with real problems, and are calling out for radical solutions and support. It would clearly be wrong or ill informed if we ignored Europe, the ECB and the European leaders and their role in this crisis. That is what this debate is about. Of course, the senior bankers who lied and misled many people in the banking crisis must be mentioned in this and any other debate on Europe. That is what the motion is about.

I recognise that there has been no proper discussion of the fundamental flaws in the eurozone from an Irish perspective. Let us have an analysis of this. The eurozone exchange rate is generally unsuitable for Ireland's unique pattern of export and import trade inside and outside the eurozone. The eurozone put us under the control of the ECB, and as a consequence the Government has no economic policy beyond preserving the euro. A lot of people are asking questions about this and demanding answers. It is a very important issue in regard to the broader issue of Europe. I am glad the Minister of State, Deputy Costello, is in the Chamber.

I refer to the EU and foreign policy issues. It is within the OSCE and a reformed UN, and not the EU, that Ireland should pursue its security concerns. Ireland should pursue a positive neutrality and independent foreign policy, and not join or form an association with any military alliance such as the WEU or NATO. It is something we have to monitor. We know a section of the Government is very much in favour of that. Ireland should seek to promote European and international security through a policy of disarmament and demilitarisation and, therefore, should oppose the militarisation of the EU.

Most people in the Technical Group, as Deputy Boyd Barrett said, are internationalist in their outlook. Ireland should refuse to co-operate with or condone any policies or military groupings which maintain nuclear weapons or any weapons of mass destruction. Irish troops should only serve abroad as peacekeepers under the auspices of the UN. These are the issues we want to raise and highlight.

People like Deputy Harrington made flippant comments about extremists and far right groups. The motion was tabled by people who care about their country, have an international outlook, are very supportive and are not racist in any way. We would challenge, dismiss and tackle groups like UKIP any day of the week.

Only today, leaders in Europe discovered that in the region of €1 trillion was lost in taxes across Europe in the last couple of years.

The €70 billion this country is putting into its insolvent banks works out at €38,000 for every working person. If we include the €35 billion assigned to the National Asset Management Agency, that figure is €57,000. It is reasonable to raise these issues. It is reasonable to put forward a constructive analysis of what is going on in Europe. In particular, we must be vigilant regarding statements by leading European politicians and policy makers that the crisis in the eurozone provides an opportunity to push ahead towards a fiscal and political union. The Union is increasingly losing its legitimacy and authority among European citizens who feel only a scepticism and cynicism in respect of the policies being pursued and the direction in which their masters are taking them. Those masters should take note because some among their number have already been kicked out of office.

There is a democratic deficit here which, if it is to be addressed, will require listening to the concerns of ordinary people. There is a serious problem when economic policies are not working. There is cause for serious concern when foreign policies are not working. When foreign policy is such that silence is an appropriate reaction when ten Afghan children are blown to pieces by NATO bombs, then there is something very wrong. These failures of foreign policy will damage Ireland's reputation as a nation independent in the conduct of its affairs on the international stage and committed to the United Nations. That is the direction in which Ireland and Europe should be going.

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