Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is a great pleasure to welcome Ms Harkin and I thank her for her expansive contribution. I echo everything that has been said on both sides of the House about her efficiency and ability as an MEP, particularly as an Independent, because we sometimes forget she does not have the backup support of a political party. She has managed to carve out a particular niche for herself which is vital in addressing pertinent issues, in rural Ireland in particular.

I have two questions. First, can Ms Harkin give us an indication of what the sentiment is in Europe in the context of President Higgins' speech to the European Parliament last week - he has reiterated his views in an interview with the Financial Times today - about the moral dilemma and the moral questions facing Europe on the issue of macroeconomics. Ms Harkin might convey to the House the sentiment in Europe on how Ireland is seen in the context of macroeconomics as it applies to banking union and so on. I know it is a big question, but I am sure she can encapsulate what I am attempting to get at in order to give us some indication of the thinking processes among her colleagues.

At a much more local level, on the fracking issue, can Ms Harkin give us an update on the debate or discussion, if any, taking place at European Parliament level? We do not hear much about what is happening in the Parliament. I know a number of the committees and the energy directorate have been leading the charge on this issue. Is the environment directorate involved and is any Europe-wide policy being formulated? As Ms Harkin knows, there is an absence of policy in this regard. This is not necessarily to seek her own views on how Ireland should proceed but to obtain a European perspective. While we can to a degree act unilaterally, ultimately, we will be relying to a great extent on what is coming from the European Union in that regard.

I reiterate again our appreciation of Ms Harkin in being among us today and thank her for her very kind comments on the Seanad and its future functions, to which I hope the good people of Ireland will have the sense to listen, with the many others who are marshalling an argument in favour of its retention. I hope that, ultimately, the intelligence of the electorate will come to the fore and that we will be here this time next year, not so much talking about abolition but about reform. I wish Ms Harkin well personally and in her political career.