Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I understand the Taoiseach must leave and thank him for staying for so long. I welcome the Minister of State with special responsibility for European affairs, Deputy Treacy. It is important and useful to hold a debate on the European Union in the House on the day the White Paper on the European Constitution has been published. For some years, I have been belly-aching about the tendency to launch major Government papers outside the House and thereby exclude the House from the process. The Seanad has a role, albeit a small one, in the debate on the European Union. One of the most successful initiatives taken by the House in recent years was to invite MEPs to participate in a debate on Europe earlier in the year. This was a useful experiment which should be replicated in future.

Senator McDowell made an interesting contribution in which he referred to early estimates of the number of citizens from the new member states who would come to work in Ireland following accession. There is a straightforward explanation for the decision of such large numbers of them to come here. Unemployment, particularly among young people, is substantially higher in the new member states than here. I recently read in a magazine that Poland has the worst unemployment problem, including youth joblessness, in the European Union. It comes as no great surprise to learn that many Poles are coming to Ireland and other member states where work is available. How many of them would stay if the employment market were not as flexible as it is now?

I concur with Senator McDowell that segregation in our cities would be an unwelcome development. The emergence of distinctive Polish or Latvian neighbourhoods would not be the way to integrate the new communities. This issue must be discussed now to ensure communities moving into Ireland are fully integrated.

I have an open mind on the issue of Turkish accession which has been raised by many Senators on all sides. I disagree with Senator Minihan, however, because we cannot escape the fact that concepts such as the separation of state and church, universal suffrage, gender equality and freedom of the press are Christian and European ideas which were developed largely in response to the awful killings we saw in the First and Second World Wars. Turkey will have to measure up to a variety of criteria which reflect these European ideas — I make no apology for describing them as such — of which we can be proud. Turkish membership of the European Union is a strong possibility and has clear advantages, for example, it would offer a way into the Islamic world and the east and constitute a recognition of the role of Islam in the new Europe. Countries joining the European Union must, however, subscribe to the inherent democratic norms and values, including respect for human rights, which are widely accepted in EU jurisdictions.

I support the applications of Romania and Bulgaria to join the European Union. Given that both countries were in the eastern bloc, why has the economy of Hungary taken off in the past 20 years while that of Romania has not? We must encourage Romania and Bulgaria to join the EU and ensure they meet the criteria we have set.

Senators have referred to a new wave of euroscepticism, a development inextricably linked to a rise in neo-nationalism. Given that the Hapsburg empire lost out to the Turks and vice versa, it comes as no surprise to learn that of all the EU members Austria objects most to Turkish membership. The issue is rooted in the neo-nationalism at the heart of Europe. In many respects the rise in Sinn Féin is no different from the rise in Jean-Marie Le Pen's Front National in France, Jörg Haider's Freedom Party in Austria and the British National Party in Britain. It is a wicked form of the most virulent neo-nationalism because it is based on a segregationist notion. It reflects the words of D. P. Moran that Ireland should be for the Irish and the John Bull notion of Britain for the British. There is virtually no difference between the neo-nationalism of Sinn Féin, the British National Party and Mr. Le Pen's Front National. We must cherish the everyday benefits of the European Union alluded to by Senator McDowell and continue to remind citizens of them.