Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 522: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland supports José Manual Barroso's position that the EU is now an empire; and if he will clarify this anti-democratic position. [20552/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I do not share Deputy McGrath's alarm over recent comments on the European Union by the President of the Commission. President Barroso was clearly referring to the geographical scale of the Union. The European Union has nothing in common with empires built by force and ruled undemocratically. As President Barroso made clear, the Union is based on a voluntary coming together of 27 countries that have freely decided to pool aspects of their sovereignty for their mutual advantage. It has helped establish the unity of a region once ravaged by war and divided by ideology. I would also like to emphasise that EU decisions are arrived at with the full participation of the Governments of the Member States and the directly-elected European Parliament. This represents a unique, democratic achievement.