Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Everyone agrees that we should condemn Russia for what it has done in Crimea.  It is obvious that it will be a difficult situation for many people there.  However, when we consider who is condemning Russia it does not do a lot of good.  Deputy Martin referred earlier to the democratic principles of the EU.  In what EU has he been living? The democratic principles of the EU dictate that a referendum be held again if it does not produce the desired result and that countries be warned they will be penniless if they do not vote the right way. It is remarkable that the EU would preach to anyone about a referendum. When Greece wanted to hold a referendum, the EU refused to allow it.  The brilliant democratic principles to which Deputy Martin referred did not seem to matter to Italy when a banker was installed as the leader of that country.  If anyone is to lecture us on democracy, perhaps it should be someone other than the EU.  The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is like two adolescent lads chasing after a girl.  It is not for the conversation that they are doing the chasing.  They are looking for what they can get and they do not care what destruction is caused in the achievement of their aims.

 At what stage will this Government, which is supposed to represent me and the people where I live, hold its head high in Europe and state that, far from being takers, we are the givers?  When will it remind Europe that since we joined the EU every citizen in this country has benefitted it to the tune of €46,000?  When one includes cohesion funds and CAP and takes away the money sent back to Europe in banking debt and the appalling deal we got on fishing, that is how much each of us has given to the EU.  The EU does not care about democracy and it certainly does not care about us.  If the Government cared it would fight for us.

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