Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I welcome the Minister. He and I have had many a debate, both public and private, about many issues, and his appointment was welcome. The best man for the job was without a doubt appointed by the Taoiseach. His enthusiasm for this whole project and other qualifications and skills have been put to good effect. We were well served in this country by those who worked on our behalf at the Convention. One should include the role of the current President of the European Parliament, who I believe has made a considerable contribution to the development of an understanding.

I wish to be awkward at the start and then be a little more positive. This treaty contains a very valuable set of principles about European freedoms. I invite people to consider whether it is possible for a country to meet those standards if its Prime Minister owns and controls, either personally or politically, the best part of 90% of all television output in the state. That is the position in Italy. I do not wish to make a huge issue out of it, but the question has been raised by such journals as The Economist, which would not necessarily be identified with the constitution. I encourage anyone to read The Economist, which is fine and challenging, but it is not very keen on the new constitution, as the Minister probably knows better than I.