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

I will deal with them and the known unknowns shortly.

However, I cannot understand how people can say we would be better off outside the Union and the Union would be better off if it did not exist. Where in God's name have people been for the past 25, 30 or 40 years? Members should consider all the benefits that have accrued to us, directly and indirectly, from membership of the Union and the progress we have made and compare that with the 40 years prior to that before coming to a conclusion.

What worries me most is what we have learned over the past number of years amidst speculation about the future of the Union and how unsatisfactory is it. It is not ideal and there is no doubt it does not work as well as it should, but it is immeasurably better than anything else that has been put forward. The weakness of the Union currently is the degree to which individual member states refuse to accept it and want to impose their own will on it. It should not be forgotten that the razor wire we have seen in recent times as an emblem of the Union preventing refugees from getting into member states is not the fault of the Union. That is individual member states enforcing their views and refusing to accept the obvious and the responsibilities they have towards refugees. Refugees are not running away from wealth and riches, safety or a good lifestyle; they are running in fear. We should always remember that many Europeans ran in fear in times past and were glad to get cover. Many of us in this jurisdiction went elsewhere for assistance over the years. We should also remember that prejudice should not rule our minds when it comes to dealing with issues of this nature, be they emotive or whatever. I do not blame the Union but if we continue doing what we are now doing as Europeans, we will have failed to do the job that needs to be done now of ensuring the EU speaks with one voice to accommodate people in so far as it is possible and not be so prejudiced and concerned as to shun all possibilities to address this issue on the basis that refugees are a threat to us all. Deputy Clare Daly spoke emotionally about this subject earlier and she is correct that the EU should be ashamed of itself in respect of this. However, the EU is not the perpetrator; it is the individual member states who refused point blank to accept any responsibility and want to hive it off to other countries.

We must consider the options before us. I hope sincerely that the British people respond positively to what lies ahead of them. If the thinking is that by going backwards to the way things were and becoming insular again and looking after our own house to the exclusion of everything else, we will achieve something we have not done previously and economic benefits will accrue to us, people need to think again. Those who dismiss the possibility of Brexit on the basis that something else will be worked out and that we will have the same access to the Union as Switzerland and a number of other countries should consider our geographic position. We are not in the middle of the Union. Everybody does not have to cross our borders before entering another member state. We are on the periphery, as is Britain, and both states need to be aware of the consequences of going back to where we were before the Union existed. If people think that is the simple way to go and that would have prevented the economic collapse experienced across Europe and in this country, in particular, it would not. The only thing that went wrong was individual member states refused to adhere to the principles laid down by the Union in respect of banking, economic strategy and other issues, yet the word "weakness" comes up again and again. That has emerged because at every opportunity when member states and their politicians want to attribute blame for something they do not want to be associated with, they blame the Union.

The latter is an easy target and it is used as a scapegoat again and again. As a result, much damage has been done to the European concept. There is now a dearth of people willing to come forward at European level to defend the principles of the European project. Sadly, that is the case. The longer it continues, the more the European concept will be eroded and the less attraction there will be to continue with the European Union. I would hate to think what would happen if and when the European Union broke up in disorder. Such an eventuality is inevitable if we continue on this tangent and there will be conflict if it happens.

There are those who suggest that in some way this will be a great awakening and will bring a new era with great benefits. We should read our history very carefully. European history - our history - is littered with incidents that clearly illustrate for all the dangers of going down that route. We were delighted to have the benefit and friendship of the European Union for so many years and I hope that will continue. I hope the UK and Ireland will remain within the European Union after the vote taking place in the UK in the next month. If that happens, we will be in a position to concentrate on issues that must be dealt with in the European Union, namely, bringing the Union closer together, recognising each other's positions and trying to ensure that we take ownership of the Union. We speak in this House as if Ireland was not a member of the European Union but was, rather, outside it. Ireland is a member state. As individual members of the community in a member state, we have a duty and responsibility to try to ensure that we act cohesively, along with other member states and the communities therein, to benefit the European Union. Ultimately, the latter will have beneficial consequences for us all.

I am really appalled by some of the depressing and negative statements I have heard today. I will not get into individual details but I wish some of the contributors would go to a lending institution, make a presentation and try to borrow money on the basis of their views. They would find the response to be anything but positive. I have never known any proposals along the lines I have heard today that received any kind of favourable comment from lending institutions. There is not much time left and we should all concentrate on doing what we can to bring about a positive and helpful result. I hope that is what happens.

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