Seanad debates

Thursday, 6 November 2003

European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage.

 

One of the initiatives to be taken in the Irish Presidency, which I have discussed with fellow Ministers in other member states, is to re-image and re-communicate Europe. There is a necessity to raise the people's image and to ensure political, public and media debate reflects what Europe is about. As a result of what I have heard here, in the other House and in the forum, there is a need to re-image Europe and to re-engage with the citizens not only in Ireland, but right across Europe. I mentioned this last week to my colleagues and again last night to my Dutch counterparts, all of whom are enthusiastic supporters. They all reached the view that we in Ireland have had more experience in communicating with the public through the referendum process, which I greatly support because as politicians we have had to deal with it. As Senators McDowell, Quinn and others said there is a need to elevate the level of debate and to re-examine how we deal with this complex issue. It will be one of the issues in the Irish Presidency.

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