Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

After the dust has settled on the Brexit vote, so to speak, and on the water fight on the Thames as it was called, there are many questions to be answered. We are at a point where we are trying to come to terms with what it all means, the enormity of the implications of the vote, what has happened, why it happened, what it means for us and for Europe into the future and so forth. The outcome of the vote, and we are specifically concerned about the immediate implications, will be analysed probably as much as any Shakespearean drama, except this is real life, not drama.I was struck by an article in The Sunday Timeslast Sunday by the journalist, Robert Harris. The headline was "Here comes a national nervous breakdown." I wish to quote in part from his article on his response to Thursday's events. He said that what is certain is that Thursday's result marks merely the start and not the end of the most divisive, depressing and duplicitous period he can ever remember in British politics, brought upon us entirely by Cameron's glib resort to a device inimical to parliamentary democracy. We must look beyond the economic ramifications and how we get to the point where people, not just in the UK, want to get out of Europe, and have voted to get out of Europe. Without a doubt we had a lacklustre campaign. There was no real message but I do not believe the British are just to blame for that. Europe as a whole, the European Union and all its representatives and agents have an issue to tackle. This is the red flag.

We must ask, “How did we get here?”. Why do people so often view Europe as rigid, bureaucratic and inflexible? Ultimately, many commentators view the European project as a bloaty, bossy and bureaucratic creature, dishing it out without facing the electorate. Too often, Members and others, including the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, stand in this House and their only answer is that Europe says we have to do it. That is a very simplistic response and sometimes it is said in order to divert attention from our participation and why certain laws are required, especially in the environment area. Nonetheless, this has resonated with people and, to coin a phrase from another drama, resistance is futile. It seems that is the depressing vista facing us.

There seems to be no positive message about Europe. Much of what was said was scaremongering but that happened on both sides. Why do we always say that people who have concerns about immigration are in some way bigoted? Ordinary people can have valid concerns about immigration, how it is handled and the implications for them. Why can we not answer them satisfactorily not just in terms of the people in the UK, but also those in Ireland and across Europe, with similar questions? That does not take from the fact that we must be responsible.

I dare say that if in the morning we were to have a referendum in this country, we could have a substantial number of people who would vote to leave the European Union. That scenario could be repeated across Europe. We need only look to the North where 45% of people voted to leave, notwithstanding their awareness of the consequences for farming, trade and free movement, but that did not appear to bring a halt to their intention.

Similar to the general election in this country, the proponents of the leave campaign had all the answers. In the general election, the opponents of the then Government had all the answers on how to run the country, which begs the question as to why we have a minority Government today and why the same people did not put their shoulder to the wheel and set up a Government.