Jimmy Harte (Labour)

The opportunity offered by our holding the Presidency should not be overlooked. This country was dependent solely on British markets for almost all of our trade until 40 years ago. Since 1973, the European market of 500 million people has been open to us and has also allowed us access to other markets globally. Anyone who suggests being in the EU is a backward step is living in the 1920s, if not 100 years ago. Every town in Donegal has benefited from EU membership, from farming to tourism to infrastructure to equality legislation that would never have been introduced by any Irish Government. We have been good Europeans and benefited from our membership, but Europe has benefited from our membership. It is a two-way street.

Senator Gilroy made a good point about Iceland. When Iceland collapsed, there were restrictions but those who put it forward as an example forget that Iceland's border is the Atlantic Ocean, while our border is between Lifford and Strabane and I do not want Donegal to have to depend on Her Majesty's Government in Strabane or Derry or Belfast if the economy collapses here. We have had 800 years of dependency on Her Majesty's Government so if we end up in an Iceland-type situation, the people of Lifford will have to go to Strabane to get their benefits and housing and I do not want the day to come that the people of the Republic of Ireland are saying "Please, can we have some more?" to the British Treasury.

Ireland has been standing on its own two feet for 40 years and is a proud member of the EU. I hope the Minister of State will ask some of the important Ministers who visit Ireland to come to Donegal, Galway or Mayo to see what is going on there and to let the people know Europe is concerned about rural counties. If there were an opportunity for a plenary meeting or a subcommittee meeting of European leaders or officials in Donegal for a day or a weekend, as well as being a tourism opportunity for the county, it would let the local people know Europe is concerned and would show Ireland will play its part in the European project.