Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State and I wish him well in his objective to steer the reform treaty to success. The Minister of State is giving a great deal of time to it and I know it is hard work. I assure him I will do everything to deliver the vote in my constituency. Every area should take control of itself and this is how we will be successful. The Minister of State has my support and all the support he can get in every walk of life within our organisation.

The question that must be asked is why we should vote for the treaty. I will keep it simple. Fifty years ago there were six member states of the EEC, today there are 27 member states of the EU. The treaty must respond to the needs of the 21st century. The institutions must work in today's world. They must be clear in their thinking, transparent, efficient and democratic. They must open up so Joe Citizen will understand what is going on. This was lacking and in this reform treaty I see major simplification to allow everybody in this country to understand. They are now beginning to understand what the reform treaty is all about. It has taken 50 years to simplify the institutions of Europe. It is only right that we simplify them so that all bodies and organisations will understand.

The national parliaments have a major role in the decision-making process. A proposal put forward in Brussels cannot go any further without going through the Chambers of the Dáil and the Seanad to be scrutinised. This is a major concern. No legislation or decisions can be made in Europe without first going through the democratic process in Ireland. This is the cornerstone as to why we should go accept the treaty.

Why must we stay in Europe? We are an island country on the periphery. Economically, through the EU market we have access to 500 million people for direct investment. The value of direct investment to Ireland in 1973 was only £16 million. Last year, direct investment generated more than €3 billion. Voting "No" would undermine Ireland on the European stage.

We must pool our resources with regard to the impact of globalisation, climate change, energy, security, cross-border crime, trafficking, immigration, poverty and injustice. We cannot do this alone. We must work with other member states. It is the only way forward with regard to these global issues. It is extremely important to know that we alone cannot deal with crime. We have cross-border crime and human trafficking and we must work with other member states.

If we vote "No" we isolate ourselves. We cannot do so. We are a small country. It would be awful to think that we were outside the loop. The charter of human rights will have legal status which means the freedom to choose occupation, equality between member states, the right to life and the respect for private and family life are protected.

Politically, membership of the European Union has transformed us. It has given us a place in the world and in Europe, particularly in the formation of key policies affecting our future and the future of mankind. We have an input into climate change, energy and security. We have been a beneficiary of our membership of the European Union. It is in our interests to ratify the reform treaty. It is clearly in Ireland's future economic interest that we vote "Yes". Rejecting it would serve no use. We must urge people to vote in favour of the treaty.

To reject the treaty while the other 26 member states accept it would put Ireland in an extremely difficult position. How would we overcome the problem? We would isolate ourselves and for what reason? There is nothing in the treaty other than that it simplifies the institutions and makes them more democratic. We will not have any interference on taxation, defence, our neutrality or abortion. They are our constitutional issues which cannot be decided by Europe. They can only be decided by this country alone. This is clear. The "No" campaigners state that it will interfere with our sovereignty, neutrality, abortion and tax harmonisation. The key point is that there will be no interference whatsoever.

To object to this treaty would be a great shame. It would make us a very mean country. We have done so well and now we would turn around and state we do not want Europe anymore as we have the Celtic tiger and we do not need it. Today, I urge everybody to vote "Yes" in the referendum for simple reasons. It is more democratic and all decision-making will first have to go through our Parliament. We have unanimity, which is key. I wish the campaign, and the Minister of State, every success.