Seanad debates
Thursday, 12 September 2002
An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Fiche ar an mBunreacht, 2002: An Dara Céim. Twenty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2002: Second Stage.
We need to be at the heart of the European Union. If we vote "No" and if we do not support change we will create doubt in the minds of our European partners. Everybody accepts that Europe has been good to us. Without moving forward in Europe Ireland would suffer in terms of economy, jobs and our future. We must ensure that Ireland continues to be one of the most attractive places in Europe for foreign investment. We need to be seen as the country on the periphery of Europe which is a base for those who want to break into the European Union, bringing manufacturing industries, jobs and investment. They must continue to see Ireland as the place in Europe to set up investment. The next stop after Galway and the Aran Islands is America. We want American companies to look to Ireland and see it as the nearest place for them to base themselves for R&D and manufacturing. We want them to continue to create jobs in the facilities that have been set up by various Governments over the last number of years. We will then see a return to the growth we need for the continued success of our economy.
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