Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too wish the Minister of State very well in her new position. I am disappointed to lose her from the position she was in because we had been working very hard on the fair deal scheme. Hopefully, the good work there will continue and the Minister of State will ask the new incumbent to do what she herself intended to do. I also wish the Minister, Deputy Coveney, well. I hope he makes a better job of this than he made of the housing crisis, because there was not a house built in Tipperary last year. I appealed to him several times to call in the county managers and insist that something be done. Nothing has happened. The talks and reports would build mountains and castles for us with all that is going on there, but there has been nothing.

We are aware that one of the central issues to be discussed at the EU Council will be the future direction of Europe and what vision will guide the creation of that future. To that end, the European Commission published a White Paper on 1 March that sets out possible paths for the future of Europe. The Commission acknowledged that we face a great many challenges, such as globalisation, the impact of new technologies on society and jobs, and security concerns, and that we must ensure we are not overwhelmed but rather that we seize the opportunities that these trends present.

The White Paper offers five scenarios for the European Union’s evolution, depending on the choices we will make. As the Commission has further noted, the White Paper marks the start, not the end, of this debate. Work will continue in earnest so that we have a plan, a vision and a way forward to present to the people by the time we hold European Parliament elections in June 2019.

While I acknowledge the work of the European Commission, it is very hard to take what it says very seriously. After all, it seems to have had a very late conversion to citizen-centred democracy. It now speaks endlessly about the rise of so-called populism and the need to consult the people of the various member states. It has had a very late conversion to that. Where was all this when the drift away from true public consultation was occurring over the last ten years? Where was it when this State rejected various treaties, only to be told to think again, but this time with an economic gun to our head? Where was it then?

The Commission’s White Paper presents one scenario of "Doing Much More Together". That would involve member states deciding to do much more together across all policy areas. While this sounds grand and noble, it also reflects the kind of drive toward ever-closer political union that leads many to fear for the sovereignty of their states. That is a huge worry for many people in Ireland. We have seen how international bodies like the United Nations already display breathtaking indifference and disregard for the Constitution of this State with its all too frequent and all too biased interventions of our laws, especially around family and life. Europe and those at the helm of the European project have also demonstrated this kind of arrogance for too long and too often.

I agree that it is vital that we have a strong Europe, a Europe of genuine partnership and collaboration. It is vital that it should not come at the expense of disregarding the views of those who fear that the European project has become derailed or overly powerful and centrist. The European Union must serve the people and not vice versa. That is what has happened with democracy, including our own one. We are not serving the people. We must serve the people rather than fatcat officials. The Commissioners we sent over failed politicians here. The European project must serve the people. The Taoiseach quoted John F. Kennedy today during Leaders' Questions. Indeed, he was waxing lyrical here again during questions to the Taoiseach with Deputy Coppinger and others. I have another quote for him that he might like take to the EU Council, which John F. Kennedy said in 1962: "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

I hope he takes that with him as well.

I am not sure whether the Taoiseach has taken on only a part-time speechwriter. If so he should take him or her on full time and make sure he or she has a good lesson in history and understands the recent history of Europe and the way Europe has led to people being disengaged, has down-played the rights and sovereignty of people in this country, put a gun to our head during the banking crisis and told us we had to do this and the other. Europe is now telling us that we cannot have the housing Bill introduced in the Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach. We cannot have a Bill that would save the people and keep them in their homes. We can have legislation to deal with the big people but nothing for the small people. It is time the EU reflected on the small people. It is time our MEPs told it so. I supposed I am wishing against the wind that Commissioner Hogan might say something for Ireland but he is too interested in playing golf and making sure all the fellows he put into Irish Water are still there getting their salaries.

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