Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I join other Senators in welcoming the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to the House – the third Minister today in this debate. I note the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, has to leave to continue his excellent work. I congratulate him and all the Irish team at the Convention on their superb representation at such a critical time in the history of Europe.

The Union today is a model of political and economic co-operation, unprecedented in world history. Come 2004, the EU will be four times the size of its original membership, which is an overwhelming testament to its appeal to outside countries, ensuring its role as a key player in the world economy. It must be recognised that membership of this successful Union has been without doubt a fundamental element in Ireland's prosperity over the last number of years. Having successfully integrated our economy, our currency and many other aspects of our lives with our European partners, the Ireland of today is now a glowing example of how a small, formerly underdeveloped, peripheral nation can flourish within a Union.

It is clear that the Union has not been a static institution, but rather one that has consistently changed over time. It is one that acquires and requires new policies and strategies with each changing reality, even if sometimes at the cost of clarity. The Union has changed enormously and we need to account for these changes. The Single Market, the single currency, successive enlargements and the deepening of EU activity in areas such as justice, home affairs and common foreign and security policy have had a radical effect on how the EU works.