Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to have the opportunity to contribute to this important debate. Notwithstanding the diverse contributions, it is one of the one of the most important debates we have engaged in, or are likely to engage in, in the first part of the year. I have listened attentively to the various positives and negatives put forward by both sides. Many issues will affect the country, none of them positive, in the event of Brexit and that should be recognised. While Members can hark after the way they would like to see things and member states can do so, we should compare the position of Europe now, albeit imperfect, with that ten years before the EU existed and the coal and steel community was invented and wonder which is the better option. That should not take long.

I am amazed at the some of the statements made by Members that everything will be all right and it will work out okay in the long run because a deal will be worked out. I have never heard anything so irresponsible in all my life. Where do they think we are headed? Are they serious about this or will they let Brexit happen and speculate about it afterwards before saying, "It is a pity we did not do something at the time"? I believe there is nothing positive about Brexit for this State, Northern Ireland and Great Britain and everything will be negative. There is not only the fear of the unknown but there is also the unknown. When that unknown becomes known, it will then dawn on all of us that perhaps we should have looked at everything differently at the time.

See this speech in context