Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I rise briefly today to discuss, once again, another European issue. Every time we talk about Europe at the moment, it relates to Brexit, and rightly so. While the negotiations are ongoing and the British prepare to leave the European Union, Europe itself is preparing to change. We need to discuss it in much greater detail and depth and be aware of it because if we start to take our eye off the ball, we could pay a price in years to come. Last night, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, gave a lengthy two-hour address laying out his vision for the future of Europe in response to the European Commission White Paper. He raised many sensible suggestions but also suggestions that might be in the interests of Europe and of Ireland as a whole, such as tax harmonisation, a European military and a European border force. I call on the Leader to call in the Minister of State, Deputy Helen McEntee, to have a detailed, lengthy debate on the future of Europe in this House.