Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies for their contributions to this debate. As always, I have listened with interest to everything they have had to say today and throughout the entire process which has taken place over the past 18 months. I acknowledge the contributions of both Houses to the wider debate on the future of Europe, not only at the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs but also through the engagement of Members of the Oireachtas with the citizens' dialogue process which has helped to shape the national statement, which was published yesterday. According to the famous Schuman declaration of 1950, "Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan". Those words have proven true throughout the history of the Union. We have come a long way since the early imaginings of a European Coal and Steel Community, and we are by far the better for it.

Europe has always worked hard to anticipate and adapt to changing circumstances and to meet new demands as needed. Today is no different. We are facing into a year of change. Many Deputies have spoken about the upcoming European Parliament elections. A new European Commission and a new President of the European Council will be appointed later in the year. A new strategic agenda will be adopted to guide the work of the institutions for the next five years. As the Tánaiste has outlined, the complex issue of Brexit is still ongoing. We are all well aware of the challenges and uncertainties we face and the opportunities and protections which EU membership affords us, particularly in light of Brexit. The preparation of the new strategic agenda offers us a welcome opportunity to embrace the spirit of the Schuman declaration while ensuring our plans are fit for these times and can meet the needs and expectations of our citizens. If we are to know what our citizens want, we have to listen to them. As Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, I have had the privilege of travelling around the country to listen to people's concerns and, most importantly, their ambitions during positive discussions. I am pleased that we have been able to address many of these issues in the national statement, which reflects what we have heard from people about the importance of preserving what we have achieved, upholding our values and forging a way forward that ensures fairness and opportunity while delivering on the full potential of EU membership. I have been struck by the enthusiasm and passion that which many of our citizens, particularly our young people, have for Ireland's membership of the EU.

I encourage anyone who has doubts about the value of our membership of the Union to look at any one of the countries that are working hard to meet the criteria for accession. Since my appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, I have had the opportunity to visit several countries in the western Balkans. Their enthusiasm for membership is palpable and inspiring and often acts as a powerful motivator to undertake the necessary and often difficult reforms to prepare for the responsibilities of EU membership. As the national statement sets out, it is vital that a credible enlargement process for the region remains a key component of the EU's foreign policy. Like people in many of the countries to which I refer, Irish people can remember what it is like to endure a long wait for EU membership. In 1972, the then Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, led the Dáil debate on the terms of our accession to the European Economic Community. When he addressed the critics of membership, he explained that "the issue is one of confidence in the capacity of our people to make a success of membership". I think his words ring true now as they did then. More than 45 years later, we can look with pride on what we have achieved. In this year of great change for the EU, we can acknowledge that there is much more to do while remaining confident in our capacity to make a collective success of our membership.

The national statement clearly sets out our priorities for the next five years. I commend it to the House. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for making time available for this debate. I thank all the Deputies for their contributions. I wish everybody a happy Easter.

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