Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will start by addressing the request from Deputy Ryan for a briefing from the Department. It would of course be the Department of Justice and Equality and we will see that it takes place and that it is in contact. Many of the Members present would be European affairs spokespersons for their parties. Perhaps it might be up to each party to see who they would send. We will make sure that it happens.

In the recent reappointments, the Deputy referenced the importance of the digital single market and the energy union. The Deputy is absolutely correct, particularly with respect to energy union as a peripheral nation, as well as the digital single market. They have huge potential for the country, the people who live here and the EU collectively. Both issues have been supported by the UK in the past and we have shown good camaraderie in that space, irrespective of the vote on Thursday. We will be pursuing both of them.

Clearly, we very much hope that the 28 member states will remain as members of the EU. I acknowledge that, in the main, the cross-party support for that has been very significant. I believe all of the largest of the political parties in this House have played a very measured role in making the case simply, fairly and in a measured way that it is important from an economic of view for our small country that the UK as our largest trading partner remains a member state. More important than the economics are the strong relationship we have now, the difficult period we have travelled together with regard to Northern Ireland and the significantly improved relations. The fact that potentially the only border between the EU and the UK could be in Northern Ireland is difficult and would present difficulties for us. We have a common travel area. We joined the EU together so we have never had a relationship where one was in and one was out of the EU.

Most importantly of all, as many Members have said, the EU has been a journey that has been shared by many member states since its foundation. We must remember the fundamental reasons for the establishment of the EU. The reason for the first coal and steel agreement, following through to the set up of the European Economic Community, EEC, was to allow the countries to come together to try to work together and avoid a situation repeated in which Europe settles its differences by disputes. To some extent, in that emotional argument, despite the acceptance that the EU has many failings - different parties disagree about those failings - we fundamentally believe that working together from the inside out is the way to work for the EU.

With respect to the points made about the EU-Turkey deal and the crisis, Deputy Murphy is correct about the distraction that the UK referendum has perhaps provided. I can assure the Deputy and all Deputies of the House that the European Council will continue to focus, irrespective of the vote, on the migration crisis. It is important to acknowledge, and we do acknowledge, that there are very significant issues involving elements of agreements with third countries and transit countries. The deal between Europe and Turkey at its core was to break the business model of the traffickers who have previously been mentioned. Since 1 May, daily arrivals into Greece are down from 1,700 to just 4% of that figure. Since 20 March, seven lives have tragically been lost.

This is seven lives too many. However, in January, 89 people lost their lives. The purpose is to stop and break the business model of the smugglers and to discourage people from crossing the sea. This is being done in the interest of trying to save lives. It has not been completely successful but it has gone a long way in that regard. Also, there is an acceptance that a move towards a fortress Europe would be misguided and would be unlikely to work. It is for that reason that discussions with countries of transit and of origin are so important. While some speakers said that countries are being paid off, the reality is that many of these countries are going through severe financial difficulty and money is required to support how they aid and assist migrants when they are in their countries. We must work in that space. Of course, we must also continue to work with and encourage all countries of transit to have the highest standards.

I thank the Members for their contributions. It will be Tuesday week, because of the European Council, that the Taoiseach will be back to brief the House after the Council meeting. I echo the commentary that we in Ireland very much hope that the Irish community and the people who can vote in the referendum will look to the great benefit that the European Union has been for all 28 member states, particularly for our small country, and get out and vote. Hopefully, the UK will continue to be a member of the European Union.

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