Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

The text restates some of the old rules and strengthens more recent ones. However, placing these rules in an international treaty and giving it the protection of the Constitution makes these rules binding and permanent. In doing so, we will impose a specific and austere type of economics on the current and all future governments both in the State and the other member states which ratify it. These are the rules by which the signatory states will have to play, irrespective of whether their citizens like it. Sinn Féin does not agree with this approach because it is not in the best interests of the population of the State or other countries across Europe which may wish to take an economic approach which, as Senator Sean D. Barrett noted, takes account of citizens as opposed to bondholders and the economic powers that be who have considerable influence on the European model and approach.

I have raised many questions in a constructive manner and listened carefully to Opposition Senators' contributions.