Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I congratulate you, a Chathaoirligh, on your election. I was impressed by the generosity and civility with which this House conducts its business, but that is not to say I wish to be back here. The tributes paid to you this morning were entirely appropriate.

I am pleased to open this debate on a matter of the highest importance. That the new Seanad is addressing this issue on its first sitting day underscores the significance of the forthcoming referendum on the Nice treaty. The debate on the issue has been raging in recent weeks and has very frequently lacked objectivity. Myths have been perpetuated and have become the basis on which much has been said and written to date. The people deserve truth and objectivity. I will address some of the myths.

The first myth is that there is a plan B and that the Nice treaty is of no great significance. The treaty is necessary for enlargement – the Treaty of Nice will collapse without Irish ratification. The real tragedy is that the collapse of the treaty will, at least in the short term, have a devastating impact on small European states which have much in common with Ireland. These small states regard Ireland as how a small state should operate within the Union. It would be a tragedy if they suffer because we vote "No". There is no plan B. There is no alternative set of proposals, either on the table, under the table or in the filing cabinet. This has been pointed out by the Commissioner with responsibility for enlargement and the President of the Council of Ministers.

The European Council meeting in Seville confirmed that the ratification of the Nice treaty is a condition for enlargement to take place within the scheduled timescale. The enlargement negotiations would be seriously disrupted if the Treaty of Nice was not ratified. The current timescale for the accession of the ten states would be completely unrealistic. Ireland would be regarded as having caused this crisis.

The forthcoming referendum on the Treaty of Nice is not just about enlargement and Europe, it is also about Ireland. We are at a crossroads; we are deciding what future we will have in Europe. We are making a statement as to how we conduct our political debates.

It is a disgraceful xenophobic myth that there will be a threat of a flood of migrant workers coming to Ireland. A wilful effort has been made by the National Platform and the No to Nice Campaign organisation to raise the spectre of a wave of immigrants coming to our shores. This is the worst and most unworthy objection I have heard to the Nice treaty; it is most "un-Irish" and speaks volumes about the level at which some are willing to conduct political debate. It is a shameful and distasteful piece of propaganda.