Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)

Its influence and power in the world have reduced since it left the European Union. Part of the reason the United Kingdom left the European Union was it wanted to assert more control over immigration and migration in its countries. It has not been able to do that. We need to be careful in recognising that. There are advantages to being part of a bigger bloc in the world at present. The world is breaking down into different power blocs. I heard somebody accurately describe it on the radio the other day. There was a bipolarity of power blocs during the Cold War. Then we had the hegemony of the United States. Now we are seeing different power blocs arising around the world, such as China, Russia and its allies, the European Union and the United States. Multilateralism seems to have broken down. We are better off being part of a large bloc, otherwise we would be completely forgotten. How long do I have left?