Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I, too, thank Mr. McCartin for attending. He was one of the first to respond when we issued the letters of invitation when the Committee on Procedure and Privileges agreed as a policy that MEPs be invited to address the House. Our Standing Orders already make provision in this regard.

Mr. McCartin's address was amazingly full of vision. The passage of 25 years has not dimmed the reason he put himself forward as a candidate in the European elections and went to Europe. It is most inspiring to find somebody who has served for 25 years in a democratic milieu who has retained a sense of enjoyment regarding Europe, particularly a sense of purpose and vision. We are all the better for it.

This exercise has been very good because we are beginning to see the calibre, strength of character and purpose of those who represent us in Europe. This is good because they were all a mystery to us beforehand. Mr. McCartin stated in his contribution that he viewed each institution, such as the county councils, the regional councils, the Dáil or Seanad, and European institutions, as separate entities representing democracy and that he was never one to trumpet the rights of MEPs to appear in a parliament. However, we would like to trumpet it because we feel this House can form an appropriate forum in which to hear the views of our MEPs. Mr. Pat Cox and others have already addressed the House.

A clear pattern is emerging regarding the idealism people feel in terms of the job they took up. I often wondered how MEPs put up with the incessant travel and the early morning flights from Dublin or Knock Airports to Brussels. A Member of the House in the Fine Gael ranks will be or hopes to be emulating Mr. McCartin in this regard after the next election. Given that tiredness and the sense of being away from one's country, friends and family are part of being an MEP, I realise that a sense of vision is required.