Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I support the call made by Senator Darragh O'Brien, the Leader of the Opposition, for an early debate - certainly next week - on the Treaty on Stability, Co-ordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union. It is vital that such a debate take place, particularly in this House which has control of the issues that can be discussed here. The Government is going to be reluctant to hold a referendum on the treaty. When in government, my party was obliged to deal with many referendums. It was a Fianna Fáil Government which brought about Ireland's membership of the European Union, then known as the European Economic Community, EEC, via a referendum. We also proudly supported the referendum on the Maastrict treaty and the two referendums on the Lisbon treaty. We were obliged to fight referendum campaigns on these matters because we wanted to consult the people who wish to be consulted on matters of this nature.

I predict that the Attorney General will recommend that a referendum should not be held and will instead suggest the introduction of a Bill to facilitate implementation of the new treaty. According to what I have heard from certain Ministers, the Office of the Attorney General provided step-by-step advice on the wording contained in the treaty, the preamble to which-----