Mary White (Fianna Fail)

Senator Ross asked if the economic situation in some member states was as a result of the Union. In 1989 West Germany welcomed East Germany and the ostmark and, unfortunately, made the economic mistake of giving it the same value as the deutschemark. I visited East Germany twice after the Berlin Wall came down and saw the dilapidated state of East German industry. I congratulate the former Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, on reunifying Germany but it is still paying the price. France has sluggish, traditionalist and uncompetitive industry. It has a 35-hour working week andNicolas Sarkozy said that was the reason it had high unemployment.

I congratulate the Leader for arranging this debate which is much more exciting than the one we had on the Nice Treaty last year. I compliment the Chairman of the National Forum on Europe, Senator Maurice Hayes, on the tremendous work he has done. His document, the summary on Europe, should be sent to every citizen in the country.