My first overseas parliamentary visit as a Member of the Oireachtas, in 1987, was to Berlin, East and West, as part of a Christian Democrat tour led by the then Deputy Paddy Cooney, who was not noted for a sympathetic view of life behind the Iron Curtain. Even though I had read a lot about Eastern Europe, I was dumbfounded by the lack of spirit or optimism of any sort among the people of East Germany, which was in stark contrast to the vibrant, dynamic life of West Berlin with its buzzing thoroughfares. Little did I think that two years later the Berlin wall would fall and the people of Eastern Europe would pass their final verdict on the communist system. Since then, that part of Europe has made major strides, not withstanding the Balkan and other conflicts. Those people are charting a new political and economic course for future generations, but the success of that and the securing of long-term peace and stability across the entire Continent depend on EU enlargement. We must use our second chance for the Treaty of Nice to give a first chance to them. I enthusiastically call on the people to vote "Yes" to European enlargement, the hopes of the applicant countries and to Ireland, which has made great progress since we joined.