Mr. Ó Neachtáin, MEP:

Is mór an onóir dom glacadh leis an gcuireadh seo labhairt i Seanad Éireann mar Fheisire de Pharlaimint na hEorpa. Tá sé de phribhléid agam ionadaíocht a dhéanamh ar thoghcheantar Chonnacht-Uladh agus tá mé ag dúil go mór le hionadaíocht a dhéanamh ar thoghcheantar i bhfad níos mó, ceantar an Iarthair agus an Tuaiscirt, a chuireann Condae an Chláir isteach le Connacht-Uladh.

Mr. Ó Neachtáin, MEP:

I thank the Members of Seanad Éireann for inviting me to talk about my work in the European Parliament and to discuss the future developments of the European Union from an Irish perspective. One of the ongoing issues of concern to many people is that it is difficult to explain what the institutions of the EU are doing. Inviting Members of the European Parliament to the Seanad to explain our work and our specific roles within the European Parliament is a constructive exercise. I hope this means there will be a greater level of interaction between Members of the European Parliament and Members of the Seanad into the future. This is important because Ireland's future rests politically and economically within an ever-expanding EU. Indeed, these are challenging times for the EU as it seeks to modernise its decision-making structures to accommodate the ten new member countries which are set to join the Union from 1 May next.

Mr. Ó Neachtáin, MEP:

Before speaking in detail about my work in the European Parliament, I have a few comments on the negotiations for the new EU treaty. In 1957 the European Economic Community was founded and decision-making procedures were put in place for a Community of the six founding member states. Now we live in a Community of 15 member states, comprising 375 million people, and in a little less than six months' time we will be living in a Community of nearly 500 million people. If the EU is to remain effective it must modernise its decision-making system.