Fiona O'Malley (Progressive Democrats)

I thank Senator Hanafin for sharing time. If one thing demonstrates the broad church there is on the "Yes" side for Lisbon it is that Senator Walsh and I find ourselves on the same side when we are diametrically opposed on particular issues. I will address that in a minute. The one thing we must do this time around with the Lisbon treaty is to sell a positive message. We neglected to do this previously. There was an air of complacency and it was to our detriment that we did not do that.

It is easy to sell a positive message about Europe, particularly to women. We got equality for women in legislation because of Europe. Europe has served women well. I shudder to think where we would be otherwise. One always looks back with rose-tinted glasses at how it was in Ireland previously. I would not like to have grown up in Ireland in the 1950s, and in many ways the Ryan report exposes much of what was wrong in Ireland at the time. We forget the reality while we romanticise about the past.

Separate from gender issues, much modern legislation about work and equality generally stemmed from Europe. That is one reason we need to express loud and clear to the people why Europe is good for Ireland and Ireland has been good for Europe. Europe has been good at protecting the rights of minorities. Coming from a small island where we have had such influence we should remember that.

I have reservations in one sense about the protocols that were arrived at. I listened with interest to Senator Doherty's comments on the three protocols the Government has acquired. As Senator O'Toole mentioned, not a word of the Lisbon treaty has changed. It is very important that this is restated. Every one of us who went out seeking a "Yes" vote said the Lisbon treaty had nothing to do with taxation, abortion or defence measures. Had the Lisbon treaty had a material effect on this it would have changed, but it did not, although this is a copper-fastened signed, sealed agreement to allay those fears as they were perceived to be reasons why people voted "No".

I have a particular problem with the abortion issue. It infuriated me when Mr. David Miliband came here last week and cited that as a reason the Irish people voted "No" to the Lisbon treaty. The main reason people voted "No" to Lisbon was because they felt they were ill-informed. That is the challenge to which we need to rise. The abortion issue was very slight. If we speak incessantly about how we have the traditional values as perceived in Ireland copper-fastened it is dangerous.

Approximately 10,000 people travel to procure abortion outside Ireland every year and over the past ten to 20 years that could amount to 200,000 people. Even if one cuts that in half it is a quiet constituency of 100,000 people who are quietly very annoyed with this constant reference to the fact that we will not allow abortion in the country. It is not for Europe to permit or deny this. We must deal with it here in our Constitution. This Oireachtas needs to grasp that nettle and have a debate about our position on the X case in particular. I do not like using it but I hear it constantly referred to and it is a dangerous issue that muddies the waters around the Lisbon treaty because it has nothing to do with it. I do not purport to represent people of a liberal agenda, but I know what I believe in. The Oireachtas needs to legislate around this area once and for all, independently and separate from any other issue and have an honest debate on it.

I am glad that many citizens of this country will galvanise on getting the Lisbon treaty through because it has nothing to do with Government or politics. All we can do is influence people and tell them we believe it to be in the interests of the country. A young girl, Maeve Jones-O'Connor, wrote in The Irish Times last Saturday about how she wants her future back. She has no vote as she is 16 years of age. We must remember such people who believe in Europe and do the duty of informing ourselves as we go out to vote as citizens.

I agree with Senator Regan's point about the role of the media. Last night the Minister was interviewed by a newscaster on the RTE news and she tried to drag in the question whether the report of the special group on public service numbers and expenditure programmes, SGPSNEP, will be published before the Lisbon treaty referendum. That is not fair and should not be allowed to happen. Senator Regan mentioned another journalist who spoke nonsense and untruths about what is or is not in the Lisbon treaty because he has a strong opinion one way or the other. There is a serious duty on the Irish media to be fair and honest and report only on the facts.

I was so disappointed with the RTE broadcaster last night who was trying to get the Minister to separate the issue of the Lisbon treaty. It is far too important for this country to have the political issues of the day kicked around like a football. She should not have been allowed to do that. The Minister resisted her attempts to do it but it will happen along the way. I hope RTE wakes up and recognises that people need the facts, not political football to be played with the issue. It is so important that the media takes an unbiased, non-political approach to this. We all pledge to inform ourselves and the people in an honest, forthright way. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for his indulgence.