Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, correctly stated that what happens in Catalonia in Spain matters to all of us. We know Spain well. Many of us and the people we represent have spent time living, working, studying or just on holiday in Spain, particularly in Barcelona, one of the great European city.

How true that is. I live in the west of Ireland and Knock is my local airport. There are five direct routes from Knock airport to Spain. I will fly from Knock Airport with my partner and child next Saturday to Malaga. Although Malaga is not in Catalonia, this shows how close the relationship is between Ireland and Spain. There is also a direct to Faro from Knock airport.

The Minister of State said that Irish people travel to cities across Spain and it is the destination of some 1.8 million visits. We are very close to Spain. It is effectively our escape, for warming our bones, etc. Since the 1930s, Spain has been so close to us. We must not lose sight of the fact that Spain is an established democracy where citizens have full rights and are protected by the rule of law.

It is evident that Catalonia remains tense. Spain's Prime Minister announced over the weekend that he would invoke a never-used provision of the Spanish constitution to remove elected leaders of Catalonia from office because of their support for independence. In response, the far left CUP party described Madrid's action as an act of aggression against all Catalans. There are reports that Catalonia's political leaders intend to bring a legal challenge to prevent the Spanish Government from removing them from office and taking over running the region to stop its push for independence.

We agree that the real worry in what we saw is that the rise in political tensions will spill over into something more sinister on the streets of Barcelona and elsewhere. I readily condemn the actions of the police. I saw it on television. It was very upsetting. Certainly, it was unwarranted. It is imperative that this dangerous conflict is resolved as soon as possible through talks and dialogue rather than any manifestation of violence.

It is also clear that this political crisis is having an economic impact. Some say it is huge. It certainly has had an impact in Catalonia. Caixabank, Spain's third largest bank, has reported it suffered a moderate but temporary run on deposits due to the crisis over the independence bid. The bank, until recently, was based in Catalonia but now has transferred its headquarters to the Valencia region.

I am aware that the situation in Catalonia is being monitored by our Government. It is very serious. Earlier this month, the concern about the situation was conveyed to the Spanish authorities by the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, at a meeting with the Spanish ambassador.

I reiterate that upholding the constitution and the rule of law in all its aspects is a key underpinning of all modern democracies. The Government's position remains that the constitution and political arrangements in Spain, as in any other member state of the EU, are a matter to be determined by its own citizens through its own institutions in keeping with the rule of law. The Government has made it clear that any decision on a question as important as independence requires legitimacy, both in terms of the broadest possible political consensus and in terms of the legal framework. On that basis, the referendum vote in Catalonia cannot be accepted as legitimate - it is an aspiration - and does not provide the basis for a declaration of independence. The Irish Government cannot recognise or accept a unilateral declaration.

As I said, I hope the Government is conscious that tensions remain high. It is important that steps are taken to reduce tensions. I hope that the parties concerned can find a way to do this as soon as possible and work out a way to discuss their differing views in dialogue.

Since the crisis began, the solution remains the same. It is for the parties there to arrive at a shared view, and I agree with setting up a group on what measures might best support a process to resolve this crisis. As we all will be aware from our experience on this island, violence has no place in politics. While the situation is still precarious, we all hope the voices of moderation on both sides will prevail in order to defuse this growing political crisis.

The EU certainly did not emerge well out of this. It seemed to take a step backwards. However, I hope that we will work together and ensure that calm heads can pave a way through this difficult decision.We talk about a Europe that is united but fragmented. Issues such as these are boiling over in many areas of the EU, in the Basque country and in the Veneto in Italy, for example. How can the EU and European Governments deal with such areas?