Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have a question about the recent political changes in Italy and the European People's Party, EPP, the group in the European structures of which the Taoiseach is a prominent member. Does the Taoiseach regret the very hard line the EPP has pushed not just in countries such as Ireland but also in Italy? Italy is one of the largest economies in the European Union. The efforts of its previous government to create a situation where, for example, it could avail of Mr. Juncker's plan to have a public investment programme basically foundered on the rocks of EPP intransigence, and particularly the intransigent attitude of Chancellor Merkel and the German Minister of Finance, Mr. Schäuble. Now Italy, one of the core European countries, is facing an unknown future of populist politics. We have seen what happened with Mr. Trump in the United States and with other issues in different countries. The Taoiseach is a prominent member of the EPP and is one of the longest-surviving Prime Ministers in that group. However, the EPP appears to be hell-bent on destroying the concept of a European Union based on solidarity, economic progress and supporting countries when they encounter difficulties. Has he had discussions on the future of the three large and prominent Italian banks, which are now in dire circumstances? There are issues with the bail-in. Unlike the debates in this House previously, the slogan now from many of the ultras is to save the bondholders, particularly the junior bondholders, because so many of them are ordinary Italian savers. The Taoiseach will attend the summit tomorrow. Christmas is coming and most people feel reflective at this time of the year. Is the European Union going to survive what the leadership of the EPP has done to the Union in general?

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