Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

No; it has campaigned against the European Union. I have been in this Chamber and heard Sinn Féin Deputies describe the European Union in terms which would of course cause doubts, and I accept their democratic right to do so. However, we should not be surprised, after decades of comments on this project in what were at times exceptionally negative terms, that that would have consequences in terms of how people feel about the European Union in the here and now. The treaties that Sinn Féin and others campaigned against are the very treaties that they want Northern Ireland and that I want Ireland and Northern Ireland to be party to. I make the point in the spirit of our need to understand that the cumulative effect of decades of such comments, sometimes made in the heat of political debate, as well as decisions that were many times wrong - although I wish it were otherwise - have all combined to create an environment in which the political well of public opinion that the European Union depends on is now at the very least muddied, and we know it could go well beyond that. There is a need for all Members of the House to look at the principles and the vision that led to the foundation of the European Union and ask, through that prism, how we can stand over and rebuild what is now there, because the need has never been greater.

I will conclude by confirming two matters. The first is that the budgetary assumptions that have underpinned the budgets for 2016 and 2017 will not change as a result of this vote. However, there will be bigger effects in the future that could well have an effect. This is something the Government has already acknowleged. The second point with which I wish to conclude is that we have seen people on the far left blame much of what is wrong with the European Union on the role of elites and we now see people on the far right blame much of what is wrong in the European Union on immigration. The common casualty in both narratives is Europe and the European Union. It appears to me that it is now brave to be moderate when it comes to causes such as this one. We all need to articulate that moderation more as well as the values of compromise and consensus. In doing that, we must ensure not to shy away from acknowledging the huge view value of a European Union that now faces as many threats as it does opportunities.

See this speech in context