Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure why we are having this debate. I know it is Europe Day but it would be absurd to imagine that anybody in Europe is going to take the slightest bit of notice of what we say in this debate today. It is a grandiose title. We talk about the challenges facing the EU. The cursory speech from the Minister of State did not really paint any vision of the future. If this was of some significance, the German ambassador or someone like that might be in the Visitors Gallery listening to what we have say.

We know that this debate will cause no ripples in Europe. I will illustrate this with one incident that took place last week. Our relationship with Europe is one of supplicant and master. The Minister of State will be aware that last Friday, the former president of the ECB, Jean-Claude Trichet, came over here to appear before our democratic representatives at the Joint Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis. It was a lap of honour by a man who is not elected but who is obviously more powerful than the democratically elected representatives here. Mr. Trichet appeared on his own terms before the committee. His appearance was prefaced by a 50-minute speech from him which was applauded by the europhiles in the audience. It was followed by two speeches, one by Michael Somers, the deputy chairman of AIB, which applauded Mr. Trichet, and another by a professor of European affairs. After that, a couple of tame questions were thrown in by people involved in European business, followed by the democratic representatives, on limited time, who asked questions that Mr. Trichet failed to answer. Unfortunately, this is the kind of relationship Ireland has with Europe. It was symbolic of the attitude we have. We do as we are told, bow and scrape and let them away with that sort of dictatorial attitude. That is not how it should be. The Minister of State's speech today should have spelt out the consequences of a victory for the Tories in the British general election, which is happening today, and the consequences for Ireland if the UK does leave the EU, because this is the most serious issue and the big challenge that faces us. There is absolutely no mention of what should be there, which is plan B. If this happens to us, we will no longer be semi-detached members. We will virtually cut off because of the decision of our biggest trading partner.

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