Seanad debates

Tuesday, 28 June 2016

United Kingdom Referendum on European Union Membership: Statements

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Catherine ArdaghCatherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Last Thursday, more than 33.5 million people turned out to vote and took the remarkable decision for Britain to leave the EU. Although their decision has shocked and disappointed me, I entirely respect their democratic right to make that decision. When the Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, put the question to the British people, they were absolutely entitled to give him and other "Remain" campaigners an answer they did not wish to hear, but it is a decision I fear they will come to regret deeply. It is also a decision that I and the Fianna Fáil group in this House regret. I believe many people, for much of their lifetimes, will remember where they were on Friday, 24 June, when they heard that the British were leaving the European Union. The coming days, weeks and months will be some of the most important in the history of the European Union. The question of what type of Europe we want must be to the fore of the decisions and discussions that take place in the short term. Fundamentally, I believe that the British decision to be the first member state to break away from the Union undermines and weakens Europe.

The origins of the European Union date back to shortly after the Second World War and the Union proved successful in bringing warring nations together, where they could enter dialogue about the issues that were of concern to them. It has been a Union that, for most, has been built on mutual respect and co-operation for the greater good. It is important that we look closely at the positives that the European Union has brought to member states. The negativity that was fostered towards the EU in the United Kingdom was often misplaced.I, for one, am a very proud European when I fly into other countries and benefit from that ease of access. The European Union was far from a perfect project but do Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson honestly believe they can have the best of both worlds? Do they believe they can have all the benefits of a Common Market and get rid of any of the negatives? If that is an honestly held belief by the "Leave" campaign and those who voted to leave, then I believe they will get a rude awakening. Being part of a Union means there has to be compromise. No member state should feel entitled to pick and choose the part of the terms and conditions it agrees to and what it will ignore.

The decisions that are taken in the short term to deal with this decision will have a profound effect on how the European Union does its business for many decades to come. That is why it is of the utmost importance that careful consideration is given to how best Ireland should proceed. I, and Fianna Fáil, remain deeply committed to the European Union and firmly believe we should be working to be at the heart of Europe with other member states.

I want to spare a thought for our fellow Irish men and women in the Six Counties, who voted decisively to remain within the European Union, and also for our friends in Scotland who voted to remain by a substantial margin. They, like other European Union members, now face a very uncertain time.

I raise the uncertainty that is now affecting very many Irish citizens living and working in the United Kingdom about what the future holds. Last Friday, David Cameron sought to reassure Britains living in other European countries and European citizens living in Britain that there would be no immediate change in their circumstances. In the negotiations that follow in the coming weeks and months, the Government must seek to urgently clarify the potential implications for Irish citizens living in the United Kingdom. I was told this morning of reports that post offices in Northern Ireland have run out of Irish passport application forms, which gives an insight into the concern people there have regarding what the future holds and how they will be able to travel across Europe.

It is incumbent on politicians to be responsible and reasoned when they enter a debate on something as important as the referendum that took place last Friday. Scaremongering and mud-slinging does the people a disservice. We have already seen the "Leave" campaign rowing back on several promises it made regarding funding, most notably the promise that the £350 million being sent to the EU every week could be diverted to the NHS.

The coming years will be challenging for the European Union but we will have to work with our colleagues across Europe to ensure that Europe remains strong and united. We also must seek to urgently clarify the type of relationship we have with Britain. We are in uncharted waters and clearly have much work to do to ensure that we play our part in navigating the next steps so that Europe's strength, peace-facilitating vision and core values are not being eroded by political instability. I thank the Minister for addressing the Seanad.

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