Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Higgins to the Chamber. I should perhaps refer to him as "Deputy Higgins", which I understand is the title used by Members of the European Parliament themselves in the course of their work. I get a kick out of that title because it is one I aspire to myself within our national Parliament. It is always a welcome departure to have Members of the European Parliament address the House. These engagements arise out of the excellent initiative championed by the Leader under the aegis of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. Mr. Higgins's experience in politics at local, national and European level gives him a broad-ranging perspective which we are particularly interested to hear. He clearly has been and continues to be a great ambassador for the country and we can be justifiably proud to have him representing our interests in Europe.

Mr. Higgins's address is particularly timely given that Ireland is the current holder of the Presidency. Ministers and officials from our fellow member states have visited the country in the past five months and will continue to do so until the end of June. This is Ireland's seventh time to hold this responsibility, which is always an honour for the country. The 2013 Presidency has come as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of our accession to the European Economic Community in 1973 and has further strengthened the commitment we have shown to the European Union project since our accession. As we mark our 40th year of membership it is useful to reflect on the remarkable changes that have taken place in our country, politically, culturally, economically and in terms of infrastructure. As Senator Michael Mullins observed, in 1973 we did not even have a motorway in Ireland. The wonderful changes that have come about through the provision of Structural Funds represent one of the major benefits of our membership of the European Union. In the year of our accession, Ireland's wealth stood at 60% of the European average. Today, despite the effects of the economic crisis, our level of prosperity is above the European average. In the early 1970s more than 50% of our exports went to our nearest neighbour, the United Kingdom, while today we are engaged in the trade of goods and services globally. Other EU economies such as Germany have become increasingly important for Irish exporters. These are some of the notable and welcome aspects of our development and change since becoming a member of the Union in 1973.

Our priorities and aims for the Presidency are helping to shape European policy and contribute not only to Europe's growth and recovery but also to our own. The Government has already made huge strides, for example, towards addressing our debt burden. Indeed, within two short months of assuming the Presidency, the deal on the Anglo Irish Bank promissory notes provided a substantial easing of Ireland's debt burden, a deal which other political parties had argued at the time was not possible. It was a great triumph on behalf of the Irish people. Irish MEPs had their part to play in that, along with the Minister for Finance, Taoiseach, Tánaiste and various Government officials. We must continue to highlight the severity of Ireland's debt situation and to push for a deal on our sovereign debt. I implore Mr. Higgins to continue to liaise with his colleagues in Europe to achieve this.

This country has been through a great deal in recent years, with very turbulent financial times domestically exacerbated by a world recession. As we know, however, it is often during great adversity that opportunity knocks. Now is the time for the EU to demonstrate its strength and stability and its capacity to foster growth even in these much maligned times. Once steady growth is secured, the Union must foster employment opportunities which contribute to the welfare of the citizens of all member states. The best example of Europe's ability to confront extraordinarily trying and testing issues can be seen in Ireland's own experience in recent times. This State has undergone dramatic peaks and troughs in terms of growth in recent decades. In the 15 years preceding 2008 we were the envy of Europe as a consequence of our unprecedented economic growth. Unfortunately, that growth was fuelled largely by the excessive resources that were devoted to the property sector. Irish banks adopted a flaithiúlach approach to lending which culminated in the Government of the day deciding to guarantee their borrowings, thereby inextricably linking banking and sovereign debt. The cost, economic, human and otherwise, of rescuing the banks and their creditors has been vast in terms of the toll it has taken on the Irish people. In 2010, regretfully, we were obliged to seek support from the EU and the IMF when the door was closed on Ireland in the international financial markets. We were fortunate in those circumstances to have an only friend in town in the form of the EU, which ensured we had enough funding to keep the country running, ensure public sector workers were paid and ATMs were functioning.

At the same time, we assisted Europe by helping to ensure stability in the banking sector. That should never be forgotten by European decision makers. As a consequence of the decision by the then Government to guarantee the banking debt, a burden of €64 billion was imposed on citizens. Irish people have taken the hit and played their part in addressing the economic malaise afflicting Europe. Taxes have increased and expenditure has been curtailed. The public sector has been reduced in size and salaries have been cut by an average of 15%. The measures we have had to take have been difficult and there have been no easy choices. It is time now for the light at the end of the tunnel, which should manifest itself before the end of our Presidency through an agreement to relieve the burden of our bank-related debt. After all, we have shown other countries that there is a way back from crisis. For too long we were included in that unfortunate group of countries to which the equally unfortunate acronym "PIIGS" was applied. I look forward to the day when that acronym becomes "PIGS" and Ireland is no longer associated with it. That time is approaching and I urge Mr. Higgins and his colleagues in the European Parliament to continue to emphasise what we have gone through in this country and what needs to be done to improve our situation.

Finally, Senator Terry Leyden referred to the fodder crisis. I spoke yesterday with representatives of the Irish Farmers Association who expressed their serious concerns at the situation in France, where people re refusing to load boats for fear of being contaminated by what they have deemed to be hazardous substances contained within the fodder. What they are alleging seems rather outlandish. I ask Mr. Higgins to lobby the EU to establish an emergency fund which would assist farmers throughout the Union who find themselves in the circumstances facing Irish farmers, particularly on the west coast, in recent days.