Dan Boyle (Green Party)

I support the motion and I support the Government's attempt to exercise the option prior to 4 April. It is important to enter the necessary negotiations to ensure the instrument is as effective as possible. There are two areas in particular where we need to take care that what is eventually agreed is in our national interest and works in the interest of all members of the European Union. We want to ensure we cannot be backed into situations under civil law whereby the Houses of the Oireachtas are left behind and not involved in discussing the policy aspects of what is eventually agreed. There must be a mechanism to ensure this does not happen.

We also need to ensure when seeking alliances with other countries and exercising this instrument that we do not pick the wrong fights and that we do so for the right reasons. I am led to believe the recent court decision with regard to crucifixes in Italy involved Malta and may also have involved Ireland. I would not have seen that as a wider European issue to be discussed at such a level using an instrument of this type. It should have remained a matter of national competence. This is why we need to be careful and give the Government every confidence in ensuring the negotiations and the improved instrument to be eventually agreed is one that works for Ireland and for the European Union.