Alex White (Labour)

I can see the Senator is there. I genuinely believe that because in a sense people are predicating their political response on a fear which in most cases is not well founded. While I do not believe the question can be put to the people again in the same format, the question of our relationship with the European Union must be revisited. If it is bullying, I am sorry, but whether people like it our relationship with the Union will be mediated through the Lisbon treaty in some form and an accommodation will have to be reached.

While I agree with what Senator de Búrca said, I am concerned about one issue on which I hope the Minister of State will respond. He listed the items with which the Taoiseach and the Government were preoccupied and said it was seeking legally robust guarantees on sovereignty, taxation, social and ethical issues, defence and a Commissioner per member state. He did not mention workers' rights. Senator de Búrca is right in stating the issue was high on the list of concerns expressed. Many Labour Party supporters and others have genuine concerns on this issue which will have to be addressed in an equally robust fashion as the other issues on the list. I respectfully ask the Minister of State to add it to the list that the Taoiseach will bring to Brussels on Thursday. If he does not have it on the list, it will not be possible to revisit the Lisbon treaty in the manner suggested.