Don Lydon (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, for his presentation on the Bill which, although short, is very important and involves the expansion of the European Union. It heralds the way for two further countries to join the family of the European Union in peace. After all, that is what this is about. It is not about trade, commerce or anything else; it is about peace. People of my age who as children remember the last world war when so many people lost their lives and so much destruction of property and infrastructure took place, can not only look forward to the future but to the expansion of the European Union as more countries adopt democratic reforms and become democracies. We welcome, in particular, as friends countries such as Romania and Bulgaria which have suffered so much from oppression. I hope their accession goes ahead on 1 January 2007.