John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

It is a one-man show. I wish to express to the Taoiseach our appreciation of his coming here this afternoon despite a schedule that must be onerous, as he is meeting the leadership of the DUP this afternoon in London. We are indebted to him for his presence. I am encouraged by the Taoiseach's comment that the Good Friday Agreement is the basis on which everything rests and that while it will be up for review, it is not up for renegotiation. I cannot imagine a situation in which democratic politicians would not want to run their own country and their own parliament. If people had that firmly in the front of their minds all the time, much progress could be made.

I congratulate the Taoiseach on Ireland's Presidency of the European Union and wish him and all members of the Government well. It is not readily appreciated how much effort is required on his part and that of the Government and how much commitment and energy must go into it. This morning the Taoiseach met the Prime Minister of Poland and after appearing in the House he will be going to London. He is looking remarkably well, so it is obviously agreeing with him. I am impressed by the document produced by the Government explaining the programme for the Irish Presidency. It is a wide-ranging document. The scope of activity required is not readily appreciated. I was taken with the speech given by the Taoiseach to the Institute of European Affairs and TEPSA in Dublin Castle in early December, in which he laid out in clear terms the priorities for the Irish Presidency. It was an important illustration of the vision of Europe and where it is going. I am sure the Taoiseach will continue in that direction.

It is important to note, as the Taoiseach has pointed out, that the Presidency coincides with enlargement of the EU. The Union will expand by ten members on 1 May. We will have a day of welcomes and I hope that will work well. This is the culmination of the work of Spaak, Monnet and Adenauer. It is extraordinary how far we have come. Europe has never had a period of peace like this. That is the enduring monument of the Union. It is important to state this repeatedly in debates about Europe, because it is frequently lost sight of during referendum campaigns. Instead, we dwell on economic matters. Perhaps this is because we were removed from much of the carnage that took place in Europe.

I hope the thrust of enlargement does not stop here. I note what has been said about Bulgaria and Romania and the efforts to get Turkey into a condition in which it is ready to join, with the reunification of Cyprus and so on. I cannot understand the mentality of the president of the Irish Farmers' Association on enlargement. Having gained so much from our membership of the European Community and the EU, particularly in farming circles, it is incomprehensible that we would not want those gains to accrue to other people, losing sight of the fact that the enlarged Europe will be one of the biggest markets in the world for Irish food.

It is unfortunate that the issue of the constitutional treaty and the Intergovernmental Conference has dominated reporting, although that is not to say it is not important. The Taoiseach himself said in December it was a critical step in the Union's development. It is worth restating the priorities of the Government. The programme states: "The Irish Presidency will do all it can to take forward the work on the new constitutional treaty." That is not to diminish the differences that exist. Ireland and the Netherlands are particularly well placed to deal with this issue, given our history and the fact that neither is one of the larger countries. The Taoiseach said in Dublin Castle: "Ireland has always had to rely more on the strength of our argument than on the weight of our vote." This is part of our success. We have only had to use our veto once, on the issue of milk, so these votes are not common for us. I am concerned that if we go past 1 May on the basis of the formula in the Nice treaty, it will be difficult when that is put in place to row back and implement a different formula. However, the combination of qualified majority voting based on population and votes is reasonable. The Taoiseach said he was not worried about whether it was based on the Nice treaty or the draft constitution, which is to be welcomed.

As for Mr. Prodi's remarks about a two-speed Europe, I do not think this can happen irrespective of whether he thinks it can. Every member state would have to be in favour of it, which will not happen, so I do not see the two-speed Europe as a reality. There are important issues for us, such as the questions of voting on taxation, our legal tradition and defence, which we must take into account.

Another important aspect of the Government's programme is the question of multilateralism and the need to support the United Nations in its work. The programme states that the Irish Presidency will ensure that the EU "engages actively with the wider world on the international agenda, in accordance with its values and principles." The Taoiseach enunciated those values and principles for us this afternoon and they are important. However, it is also important that we return authority to the United Nations. That is for its members to do. The UN was seriously damaged by the war in Iraq and I hope the Taoiseach can help to restore some of its authority during the Presidency. This is not inconsistent with the desire expressed in the programme to foster better relations with the United States and Russia. The emphasis on Africa is important, as there are several important issues to be considered, including the AIDS epidemic.

The Lisbon agenda is another priority. We are aiming to achieve a competitive economy by 2010. The issues of sustainable growth and increased employment are important and should be dominant within our Presidency. We should aim to improve competitiveness and ensure better research and telecommunications. By 2010, 3% of GDP should be devoted to research and development. Our experience with partnership is valuable in this respect. It is something we can bring to the table. The Union must be brought closer to its citizens. I applaud the work being done by Senator Maurice Hayes and the Forum on Europe, which is just part of the picture. It is important that our citizens understand how the Union works. I wish the Taoiseach well in his efforts during the Presidency.