Ms McGuinness, MEP:

Jargon kills debate. As a former journalist and someone who cut through much of the jargon, I believe we will destroy this debate unless we use the language we all use normally. Call it "pub talk" but use a language in which people understand what we are saying. I spoke with a large gathering of women at the ICA Meath federation and, by the end of the talk, they were engaged about the European Union and the constitution. While I have not taken down my political "L plates" yet, it strikes me as extraordinary that so many people know so little about the EU except the bad bits, which are all we talk about. Mr. Coveney could not have put it better.

Ms McGuinness, MEP:

If one had sat in the European Parliament in Strasbourg last week, one would have cried as Members recalled what Europe meant to them. We are cosy over here. We did not feel the pain of the Second World War. If we had, we would think differently and, because they sadden me, I urge everyone to watch the pictures from the war. I make my children do so.

Ms McGuinness, MEP:

In the early days when I looked at Strasbourg, the people there and the "Tower of Babel", as an impatient journalist I was inclined to say, "Oh God, is there ever going to be a conclusion". In his wisdom, Gay Mitchell said,"This beats war". I quote him at every opportunity because it does beat war. Anyone who is against this constitution must be careful about what they say because I value the European Union deeply. The Union has been great for Ireland, certainly for women, and has been good for my children, who I want to know and love Europe just as I do. I want to have a real debate. This is a great opportunity for us to get together and tease out the issues. It troubled me on Monday night when the big issue among a gathering of very well informed people was abortion and euthanasia and that people thought the constitution would impose either on this nation. It will not. Whatever people bring up in regard to the constitution, all I ask is that they speak the truth.

Ms McGuinness, MEP:

I will not take up six minutes because we get just two minutes in the European Parliament. Brevity is the soul of wit, so let us live with it.