Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister to the House. We have had him here before debating the broader issues of European Union policy, especially the constitution. We recognise the key role he has played in it and I congratulate him for it. I also welcome our colleagues from the European Parliament, some of whom have served here previously. Regardless of their political opinion, they will all have a key role in informing Irish public opinion over the course of the next few months. To have the MEPs here to engage with us and, through us with the broader public, is an excellent idea. It is part of the new thinking that we must use over the next few months if we are to ensure that the Irish people engage in the debate and take part in the referendum. Regardless of the outcome, it would be most unsatisfactory if there is a low turn-out for the referendum. Our aim must be to ensure that the public engages in the politics of Europe and the referendum.

When the Nice Treaty referendum was defeated a few years ago, we all had to take note of what the public was saying. We were all accused of taking the public for granted and that was probably a reasonable charge. This morning, I would like to ask the public if it is taking Europe for granted. Have we taken for granted the most successful political project in the world since the foundation of the United States of America in 1776? Are we taking for granted the peace which Europe has brought to this part of the world? Are taking for granted the economic, political and social progress that we have enjoyed since we joined the EEC in 1973? We must ask the Irish people to recognise that we would not be where we are today without the support of Europe and without our work at European level.

The Minister referred briefly to last week's 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Last week the Taoiseach and other Prime Ministers of Europe commemorated the fact that 60 years ago the people of Europe looked forward to a new dawn. We should not forget that the First World War ended 87 years ago, which was meant to be the war to end all wars. In 1918, the people of Europe felt that there was a new way forward and that peace and prosperity was the way of the future. Unfortunately, there was no political and social progress in the 1920s and 1930s and no attempt made to bring Europe together. Europe fell apart 20 years later and Europeans spilt their own blood. The great success story of the European project arose from the aftermath of the Second World War. The great political leaders of Europe, such as Adenauer and Schumann, came together and decided that they would put a European political project in place. It has led to where we are today. Western Europe was the first to develop and with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Soviet empire, that chance to develop and to prosper has now spread to eastern Europe.

Those of us who have served on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs over the past 12 to 18 months have all admired the enthusiasm of the delegations we received from the countries of eastern Europe. We all know how the formerly downtrodden peoples of eastern Europe would like the Irish people to vote. That is the ultimate prize for us all, to build a Europe of people, nations and social, economic and political progress.

It is important that we all use the next few weeks and months to spread the message of the European project. The Minister did not refer to recent surveys concerning attitudes in Ireland to the EU and to the constitution. It is extremely worrying to note that 45% of Irish people have apparently never heard of the constitution, despite the fact that so much of its finalisation occurred during the Irish Presidency of the EU. Ireland is ranked 22nd of 25 member states in its knowledge of Europe and the constitution. Our first challenge is to ensure that the people know what the project is about. It would be helpful if the political parties can reach political agreement informally over the next few weeks so that the referendum Bill can be published in advance of the summer recess thereby giving us the opportunity to debate and finalise the referendum legislation.

The work of the Referendum Commission will be crucial, but we should try to reflect on how the it does its business. The important thing is to ensure that every citizen has a reasonable knowledge of what the referendum will be about. I have grave doubts about the type of Referendum Commission practise that existed heretofore, where advertisements were placed in newspapers giving the "Yes" and "No" arguments. The electorate read very little of this. The Minister should ensure that the commission works in a way to encourage people to vote.

I thank the Minister for listening, but six minutes gives little opportunity to say anything worthwhile. I look forward to much greater debate over the next few weeks and months because this is a matter of absolute importance to the Irish people. We would not be what we are today without support from Europe.