Seanad debates
Thursday, 11 December 2003
Address by Mr. Brian Crowley, MEP.
Senator Brady asked about European legislation. When I receive these vast tomes from the European Commission concerning proposed legislation, my first thought is what it will mean for Cork, Munster or Ireland generally. If the proposed legislation concerns an area in which someone at home is involved, I will ring him or her to ask his or her advice about what might happen if the legislation is introduced. People may say that is very anti-European and I should be looking at the proposed legislation from a European perspective. However, in my experience, if such legislation is wrong for Ballymagash, it is equally wrong for Paris or Berlin. This is not a Boston versus Berlin style argument because if it is wrong in one place, it will be wrong everywhere. Therefore, if we make a mistake and it is not right for Ireland, it will not be right for any other country, although there are specific areas, such as taxation, agriculture and fisheries, where clear distinctions can be drawn between what is right or wrong for different areas.
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