On my behalf and on behalf of my fellow Senators, I welcome Mr. Jim Higgins, MEP, for the North-West constituency, who was elected to the European Parliament in 2004. I wish Mr. Higgins well in his role and I wish him continued success in his work in the European Parliament. It is a great honour and pleasure to welcome Mr. Higgins, who will now address the House.
Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Jim Higgins, MEP
Mr. Jim Higgins
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chathaoirleach agus do na Seanadóirí. Is deas bheith ar ais agus nuair a chuimhním ar an Teach seo, Seanad Éireann, cuimhním mar alma mater é. Is maith is cuimhin liom go maith 19 Iúil 1981 nuair a fuair mé glaoch ar an teileafón ón iar-Thaoiseach, Garret FitzGerald, go raibh sé do m'ainmniú go dtí an Teach seo. Bhí áthas an domhain orm. Is deas bheith ar ais arís, mar fheisire ón Aontas Eorpach.
I am absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to address Senators today and to discuss matters of European interest. As I said when I spoke as Gaeilge, it is very like a return home for me because I regard Seanad Éireann as my alma mater in political terms. I remember 19 August 1981, when I received a telephone call from the then Taoiseach, Garret FitzGerald, offering me one of his precious 11 Seanad nominations. I was at a funeral in Christ the King Church in Galway, before the days of mobile telephones, and I could not be contacted. Time was running out but eventually someone managed to fish me from a restaurant in Salthill and tell me that the Taoiseach was looking for me. I barely made it and I had to wait until the six o'clock news to see whether I would be nominated. While he asked me if I would accept the nomination, he was not clear or unequivocal. I finally made it and I enjoyed every minute of the 11 years I spent in this House. I was nominated originally, then I was re-elected and in 2002 I was re-elected until 2007. This was my gateway to politics.
From the point of view of gratification, I got as much gratification in this House and sometimes more than in the Lower House, where I spent 15 years. The level of debate in this Chamber, where there is not the same degree of rancour, is not recognised. This House has always been under-reported and that leaves much to be desired. I was very sorry to hear of the retirement of Mr. Jimmy Walsh, who invariably covered this House week in, week out, in his column at the bottom of the Dáil report. We owe a debt of gratitude to him and to "Oireachtas Report". I am very critical of the national media for their lack of coverage of the proceedings in this House.
The House has contributed much to national life and parliamentary life. The current President, Michael D. Higgins, started his national political career in this House. A previous President with whom I had the pleasure of serving, Mary Robinson, started her career in this House. The former Taoiseach, Garret FitzGerald, started his political career in this House. I appreciate the anxiety Senators are going through at present.
On 27 and 28 April, I was invited to Poland to celebrate the Irish Presidency of the Council by Krzysztof Malarecki. He invites a member of the European Parliament from each member state to celebrate its Presidency. A representative of the Cyprus Presidency, which ended in December, was invited and the Lithuanian Presidency will receive similar invitations. The celebration was one of Irish traditional music, song, dance and ballads. Polish dancers did traditional Irish dancing with exquisite perfection. A professor of philosophy recited Polish translations of Raftery, Callanan, Kavanagh and there was Irish drink and Irish cuisine. It was truly spectacular.
Why should the Poles celebrate the rotating Presidency every six months? To understand that, one must reflect on the history of Poland. The country was invaded by Sweden in 1700, partitioned three times in the 18th century, invaded by the Russians in 1887, invaded by the Nazis in 1939, liberated by the Russians in 1945 and forced to kowtow to Moscow for the next 59 years. In 2004, it became a full and proud member of the European Union. The country was celebrating real liberation for the first time. Poland's history is very much a reflection of those European countries locked behind the Iron Curtain and under the cold and icy grip of Moscow for so many years. I have witnessed 16 rotating Presidencies and the Polish Presidency in 2012, the first, was a huge success. It was a celebration of freedom, democracy and of being an integral component of the most successful political experiment in the history of politics, which is what the European Union is. It is a mosaic of member states, coming from diverse backgrounds with the well-established common set of goals, whose borders continue to push further into the eastern horizons of the mainland of Europe, with Croatia becoming a member on 1 July.
Some 40 years ago, the Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Paddy Hillery, signed the accession agreement for Ireland's entry into the European Union, bringing the membership of the union to nine states. Its significance cannot be overstated.
I referred to the success of the first Polish Presidency. Ireland is now into the final few weeks of our seventh Presidency. The Irish Presidencies have all been successful, well managed and thematic and the current Presidency is no exception. The mission statement of stability, growth and jobs could not be more appropriate given the current economic crisis and there is a growing optimism that Ireland’s performance will be emulated in due course by the other programme countries.
We should reflect on the doom-laden headlines and prophecies in the media in January 2012. The predicted disasters did not occur. There has been no euro meltdown and the deeper dive into recession has not occurred. What has helped, in terms of navigating Europe back to economic recovery, has been, in spite of occasional public street protests, the relative political stability as evidenced by the election process. The results are testament to the current climate of political stability. It is testament to our current Government that, despite the heavy budgetary cuts we have been forced to implement, cuts have been implemented as fairly as possible and have not resulted in chaos and anarchy on the streets. I take hope from the fact that nowhere in Europe did political extremists advance electorally. In Spain, they were kept out of power. In France, extremists remained on the margins. In the Netherlands, voters threw them out of the multi-party coalition in the autumn.
Unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, is a major problem. As an tUachtaráin, Michael D. Higgins, said "There is nothing more corrosive to society and more crushing to an individual than endemic unemployment, particularly among the young." The still broken banking system has to be addressed and in this regard we need a fully-fledged monetary union, as in the United States. The overhanging cloud of Britain’s possible withdrawal from the EU is, for Europe and particularly for Ireland, a major cause for concern. In recent local elections, the success of the United Kingdom Independence Party is cause for concern.
I have had the honour of witnessing 16 of the rotating Presidencies since 2004, all of which have been successful. I have heard Prime Ministers and Heads of State deliver their inaugural Presidency addresses to plenary sittings in Strasbourg. One of the finest, if not the finest, was that of the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, last February. His speech had vision, style and substance. It was punctuated by regular and virtually universal applause and when he concluded there was a prolonged standing ovation. Having delivered his address, he engaged in a long and impressive question-and-answer session with MEPs from all sides of the House. Likewise, the riveting, eloquent, scholarly address by our President, Michael D. Higgins at our April plenary session made one so proud to be Irish.
As politicians, Senators will know that elected representatives do not give or get that kind of praise or adulation unless it is earned. After the address by the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, a member of the UK Independence Party, which, as I said, does not give plaudits very willingly, came up to me and said he must have kissed the Blarney stone. I said: “The Irish do not need to kiss the Blarney stone; that is for the Brits and the Yanks.” The same was said in regard to the scholarly address of the President, Mr. Michael D. Higgins.
It was in Knock.
Mr. Jim Higgins
Senator Leyden was there also.
What is particularly important is the fact that the two big-ticket items, which are of huge significance for Europe, including Ireland, are nearing finalisation under the Irish Presidency. The Common Agricultural Policy has been in gestation for a long period but I am very confident that the negotiations that are currently in trilogue will deliver a final set of proposals that will be approved by the Parliament on the week beginning on 10 June. Members will be aware that at 6.15 a.m. yesterday, the talks on the Common Fisheries Policy concluded, after 36 hours of negotiations. These are the two big-ticket items. The reforming of the Common Agricultural Policy strikes a balance between the need to support farmers operating in disadvantaged areas and the need to protect productive farmers in order to feed the growing world population. The budget for agriculture agreed at the February Council meeting means the Irish agriculture sector will receive €11 billion for the period 2014 to 2020.
Likewise, I am optimistic that the Common Fisheries Policy, which was concluded yesterday and is to be finalised at the June plenary meeting, will guarantee a much better deal for the Irish fishing community in terms of guaranteed sustainable livelihoods while at the same time ensuring strict oversight and sustainable fish stocks. In this regard, I pay special tribute to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, for his skilful management of negotiations in respect of both portfolios. I pay special tribute to his officials for managing to persuade the other negotiating teams to appreciate the strength and logic of their viewpoint and for keeping MEPs briefed as the talks progressed.
I pay special tribute to what we regard as the common bureaucracy, known as the Permanent Representation, Perm Rep. Senator Leyden's daughter is one of the additional 55 staff that have been taken on by the Perm Rep. They are very successful in terms of their negotiating skills. Thanks to the Lisbon treaty, we are now consulted all along the line. My comments have been noted regarding decisions on the common agriculture and fisheries policies. Had it not been for the adoption of the Lisbon treaty by all 27 member states, our role as parliamentarians in the European Parliament would be merely consultative. Now, because of the treaty, there is co-decision-making, giving the Parliament full power of approval or rejection.
I referred to the success of the Irish Presidency. Some Members may know that since 2009, I have been a member of the Bureau of the European Parliament, which comprises the President of the Parliament, Mr. Martin Schulz, 14 vice presidents and five MEPs known as quaestors, not wasters.
That is a relief.
Mr. Jim Higgins
Each member of the bureau is assigned specific responsibilities. I have a series of responsibilities but the ones I have fought for and succeeded in getting cover the Parliament’s library service and the designation of exhibitions. There are 27 exhibition spaces, which are much sought after. Apart from running a very efficient and effective six-month Presidency, Ireland should use the exhibition spaces to showcase Ireland in its many different spheres. With that in mind, I block-booked a considerable number of the exhibition spaces for Ireland and its Presidency. We kicked off in spectacular fashion. The month of January saw John Banville, whom Wexford people, in particular, will know as the author of 18 novels and six plays, the winner of the Man Booker Prize and the man who writes under the pseudonym Benjamin Black, give readings in the European Parliament. It was an all-ticket affair. The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, launched the Irish art exhibition, which included 27 spectacular paintings by Irish artists and three sculptures. Last month, a 51-person choir from my constituency, Cill Aodáin Choral Society, provided entertainment during an Irish visit.
I sponsored a competition in conjunction with the Donegal Democrat to discover the best slogan for the Union. We received a huge number of entries. Senator Harte will know that Donegal sometimes feels a little detached from the rest of the Republic. Some of the slogans received were absolutely spectacular. A child from Edeninfagh national school won the competition with her slogan. The prize involved my bringing her and her family to see the Parliament at first hand. I decided to present the prize myself at the school, which is outside Glenties. The principal, Mr. Oliver McGinley, had the students all pumped up, having told them a very important MEP was coming. He said the MEP was the man who sponsored the prize. When I went into the school, he said, “Daltaí, seo é an fear a bhfuilfimid ag labhairt faoi.” This translates as, “Students, this is the man we have been talking about”. For the students, Jim McGuinness was more famous, which soon burst my bubble.
Last week saw the launch of Pictiúr, a touring exhibition containing contemporary Irish children’s book illustrations. This was organised in association with Children’s Books Ireland and Laureate na nÓg. In addition, we had a poster competition. Leader representatives are to visit very shortly. Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann does spectacular work in regard to the performance of Irish song, music and dance. A spectacular joint venture involving Bord Bia and Diageo was co-sponsored by Ms Mairead McGuinness, MEP. As my former colleague, Senator Colm Burke, will testify, whenever there is food and drink around, one has no problem getting a crowd in the European Parliament.
Mr. Jim Sheridan, who directed "My Left Foot" and numerous other productions, is to visit. A musical group from County Cork called Pulses of Tradition is to come out. That event will be co-hosted by Mr. Seán Kelly, MEP. The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, ICSA, will be promoting Irish agriculture on 24 June and 28 June.
Overall, the Presidency has been going extremely well. Getting the two big-ticket items, which are crucial for the Union, including Ireland, represents a huge achievement. I was speaking to the Irish ambassador, Mr. Tom Hanney. During the Irish Presidency, we have brought to fruition 21 issues, including directives and regulations that have been hanging around for four to five years. That we have held the Presidency for the seventh time, know how presidencies work and have very skilled negotiators in the Perm Rep and among the additional civil servants we have taken on indicates that, of all the Irish presidencies, which have been good, the current one has been uniquely successful.
The Senators face a dilemma. Last night I listened to Senator Feargal Quinn debating the future of the Seanad with Professor Eoin O'Malley. I listened to the vox pops taken on the street. They were not very encouraging but radio vox pops can be very selective. I hope the Senators enjoy the remainder of their term. I certainly enjoyed every moment of my 11 years here. I know the Senators will continue to do a good job through making an input to the parliamentary process. A Leas-Chathaoirligh agus a Sheanadóirí, go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.
I am delighted to welcome back Mr. Jim Higgins, MEP, for the Ireland North-West constituency. As far as I know, he is the second Mayoman to hold the position of MEP. The late Seán Flanagan preceded him. I will check my records but I do not know of anybody else from County Mayo who was an MEP. This is great for the county, although I realise Mr. Higgins represents all counties in his constituency, including Roscommon. He was a Deputy for part of Roscommon at one stage, as far as I know. At least he ran for election there. He has been an MEP since 2004 and had a dual mandate at one stage. We used to debate his membership. He was prepared to vacate it for one of the diaspora, as far as I recall. That was his precondition and it was fair enough. He held both positions very well and was elected in 2004. He was re-elected in 2009.
I wish him success in future elections.
On the matter of elections, I very much regret that it appears the number of MEPs for Ireland will be reduced from 12 to 11. When we agreed to the admission of Croatia into the European Union, I did not realise we would lose an MEP as a result. That should not be part of the deal. I appreciate that there is a set number of MEPs in the European Union, but if Turkey becomes a member, for example, will we lose another two MEPs? Will we have the same number as Malta or Luxembourg? Ours is the most peripheral country, divided from continental Europe by the sea, and we need the current number of MEPs. Pat the Cope Gallagher and Marian Harkin also represent Mr. Higgins's constituency and they, too, appeared before the Seanad. Ireland can use its veto, but I understand it does not intend to do so.
The reorganisation of constituencies must be a concern for sitting MEPs who will be seeking re-election. I understand Mr. Higgins will seek re-election in 2014, but at this stage he does not even know what his constituency will be. He knows the basis of the constituency, but County Meath or some other place could be added to it. It is most unsatisfactory because the role of the European Parliament is very important.
With regard to the crisis in farming, has it become an issue at the European Parliament? A total of 143,000 cattle died between 1 January and 1 May this year, which is approximately 17,000 more than the figure for last year. That gives us an idea of the size of the crisis. It was mentioned this morning on the Order of Business that fodder was held up at a French port. Is there no emergency support from the European Union in dealing with a crisis such as this? We are importing fodder from the United Kingdom and France, but the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has provided less - approximately €3 million - than the €12 million provided in 1998 to deal with a similar crisis. The IFA and the co-operatives have given some assistance, but the problem is very serious. In Castlerea Livestock Mart a few days ago there was a queue, but many disappointed farmers were not in a position to obtain fodder. We contacted Connacht Gold in Athleague where it has a plant, but we are at the bottom of a long list. Adjoining farmers are very helpful and there has been great camaraderie among farmers in each community. They are working together and, to my knowledge, nobody has exploited the fodder crisis in his or her area.
It is an ongoing crisis which should be raised in the context of what to do in the future such as the distribution of fodder between European Union countries at cost price. Where there might be a surplus in a country such as France or Britain there should be some protocol or procedure whereby we can be made aware that it is available. One can stock up for bad winters, but there is an ongoing problem, as Mr. Higgins is aware. He travels through all constituencies and can see the quality of the cattle and what is happening. I was in Knockbridge and other areas in his former constituency and could see the effect the crisis was having. I know he is aware of it and doing his best, which is very important as a Member of the European Parliament.
With regard to the EU Presidency, I thank Mr. Higgins for his kind comments on Sinead. It is a great experience for the staff who went to the European Union from the various Departments to back up the Presidency. Believe it or not, as a former Minister of State, I was the negotiator on the Single European Act. Nobody gives me any recognition for this, but I was only able to do it because I had the staff, including the ambassador, to support me. I thank Mr. Higgins for mentioning the people concerned who are on the front line. Every Government has been served equally well by the permanent staff in Brussels. We have the best staff, which is generally recognised. Our Presidencies have always gone well and I congratulate the Government, the staff and particularly the ambassador in Brussels on the crucial negotiations that have taken place and which have been very successful to date. I wish them continued success. I used to travel there on a Sunday evening to attend meetings on the Monday and the briefings provided were second to none. We could always achieve this, above and beyond another member state. In fact, the proof is that when Croatia held the Presidency, staff were seconded from Ireland to help it during its Presidency.
I thank Mr. Higgins for his attendance. It is nice to see him back in the Seanad where he started his career in 1981 after being nominated by the late, great Dr. Garret FitzGerald. I wish him continued success and hope we can continue this liaison. I also thank the Leader of the House for arranging these meetings. The fact that this Parliament can bond with the European Parliament is very important. That line of communication between us is vital and long may it continue.
I welcome Mr. Jim Higgins, MEP. In a sense it is a welcome home, given that he spent a number of years in the Seanad. He made a valuable contribution during his time in both the Dáil and the Seanad. I also thank him for his assistance during my brief period in the European Parliament. Working there with him and his staff and all of the Irish MEPs was a huge learning exercise for me. The contribution MEPs make at European level is not given the recognition it deserves. One of the problems is that their number is so small it is difficult for the media to focus on the work they are doing.
It was important that Mr. Higgins opened his address by mentioning President Michael D. Higgins, the former President, Mrs. Mary Robinson, and the former Taoiseach, the late Dr. Garret FitzGerald. It is interesting that their careers started in this House. Not only did they make a major contribution as Members of this House but both President Michael D. Higgins and Mrs. Mary Robinson are making a huge contribution to public life many years after leaving this House. It is important to recognise this.
Mr. Higgins mentioned the Irish Presidency and his invitation to Poland. It is interesting that he mentioned this because I happened to be Lord Mayor of Cork in 2004 when the ten new member states joined the European Union. On that day, 1 May, a number of cities around the country were designated for each new member state. Slovakia, for example, was assigned to Cork. On that day we closed off Patrick Street in Cork and allowed the Slovakian community to set up stalls on the street in order that they could display what they had to offer to us in Ireland. It was an interesting exercise. It might be interesting to return to it on Europe Day and perhaps assign a country to 27 cities and towns around the country. After the end of June it will be 28. It would be a useful exercise as regards making a connection with other countries in Europe.
There is also the significance of the markets to which we have access. We have access to a market of more than 500 million people. While people might be critical of the European Union, the great benefit for Ireland has been having access to such a huge market. In gaining access to that market we have retained our access to the American market which is also making a very valuable contribution to the economy.
Mr. Higgins mentioned the increased powers of the European Parliament. It is very important that our Members of the European Parliament are effective and work to protect Ireland's interests at the same time as helping the European economy and the European Union generally to continue to develop. On Tuesday last I was in London to attend a global diplomatic forum on European security and defence policy. It was interesting to listen to the contributions and hear about how America was stepping back in terms of the support and protection it has provided for Europe in the past 50 years. We must be conscious of this.
While there is no discussion on changing Ireland's role as a neutral country, we can still play a very important part in a security and defence role.
It was interesting to note the role played by Ireland in joining with France and a number of other countries, and how we stepped into the breach in regard to Chad. We provided protection for more than 500,000 people in refugees camps and IDP sites. The issue is Europe's role in working with the UN. Ireland has a triple lock system, whereby a UN mandate, Government approval and the approval of Dáil Éireann are required. We need to examine how we can continue in that role, while working with our European colleagues. We have a very valuable contribution to make.
We need to be very conscious of the need for MEPs to get the necessary support. There are over 20 committees in the European Parliament and Irish MEPs sit on 14 of them, which means we have no direct representation on six committees. It emphasises the need for MEPs to get the necessary support to make sure we are watching all the issues in the Parliament, which now has more power. The permanent representatives which are giving support are extremely important. MEPs have research staff and it is extremely important that they get the necessary funding and support to make sure they are able to do the work they are required to do. In my time in the European Parliament I always found research staff worked extremely hard to give backup support to MEPs.
Mr. Higgins touched on a number of interesting issues, such as CAP and the fisheries policy. The three years the Minister, Deputy Coveney, spent in the European Parliament have been hugely beneficial in dealing with those issues and other countries, and coming to an agreement. There is clear evidence that the experience has been a factor in his contribution.
I again thank Mr. Higgins for his contribution to the Dáil, Seanad and European Parliament. It is extremely important that we continue to provide the necessary space for MEPs to make their contributions, and to get the information into the public domain and the media. I wish him well in his future career.
I, too, join in welcoming Mr. Higgins to the House. He has history in this House and the Dáil. He recalled a fateful phone call, similar to one I received two years ago this Monday when I was in China. It was a great story. I will never forget the pride I felt when I got that phone call.
I acknowledge the roles which have not been highlighted and in which he played a significant part, namely, the EU suicide prevention and mental health treatment strategies, EU funding for the care of the elderly and the increased access to cross-border health care. He was also involved in children and youth issues, such as childhood obesity and child literacy. These issues are often not played out in Ireland, but are important in terms of the development of EU strategies which filter down to Ireland. His role as quaestor is also very important.
I note his role in introducing a cultural programme. I happened to be present in January when Mr. Higgins met Mr. John Banville. It was an excellent initiative.
As Mr. Higgins said, Ireland's Presidency is very important and set a number of milestones. I would like to join the recognition of the roles played by Irish Ministers. We all have a sense of pride when we hear about the Minister, Deputy Coveney, on the news, delivering a deal people said would not be possible within this Presidency. We should not underestimate the deal which has been struck, and the officials who support that work.
I want to raise the role of citizens in Europe. I have a concern that Europe has steered off its path slightly. We should return to its original path, where all voices, no matter how small, were heard equally, and where the understanding and promotion of diversity of culture and ideas were to the fore. Last week I had the opportunity while in Vienna to speak in the Austrian Chancellery on the Future of Europe Group report on striking a balance between unity and diversity. It has not received much publicity in Ireland, but 11 foreign Ministers from EU member states, not including Ireland, came together and wrote a paper on what they believe is the future of Europe. My difficulty with the report is that it progresses a very top-down approach. If one really reads into the report, one will find it looks at the common security policy and similar areas on which we could co-operate, rather than issues which directly affect citizens.
We need to be careful with our engagement on EU issues. I would welcome a debate in the House on the future of Europe. The report to which I referred is interesting. It comprises only seven pages but there is a lot of content. It is very interesting that although the foreign Ministers have all put their names to it, it is on only one official website, that of the German Foreign Minister, Mr. Westerwelle, for debate.
There is often a perception that popular sentiment towards the EU has turned sour because power has moved to the centre of Europe between France and Germany. It should be noted that the European Movement Ireland committee commissioned a RedC poll earlier this year which found 85% of respondents believed that Ireland should remain part of the EU and 83% of Irish adults believe that, on balance, Ireland has benefited from its membership of the EU. We should not underestimate those figures. We can have a serious and engaging debate with the citizens of Ireland. They see the benefits of the EU and we should examine how we can develop that further.
I would be interested to hear the opinions of Mr. Higgins on how, post the Irish Presidency which will be over soon enough, we can ensure the EU agenda focuses on the issues that most affect our citizens and how we can best generate engagement with and support for the EU with people. I refer to the "critical friend" approach, whereby a really good friend will tell one what he or she likes or does not like.
I have concerns about the multiannual financial framework. It is close to completion. We have a deal which will have to be discussed and rebalanced every year because we will not grasp the nettle. We will propose a budget but each year the Parliament will have to grapple with it. I would welcome Mr. Higgins's thoughts on that.
I echo his congratulations to the Minister, Deputy Coveney, for his role in common fisheries and CAP. I am not from an agricultural background, although having spent 12 years on the economic and social committee with farmers' representatives I learned more about farming than I ever needed or wanted to know. It is tremendous that Ireland has played a role in bringing people together.
Following the comments on the role of citizens, I would like to touch on turnout at elections for the European Parliament. In 1979 it was 62% but fell to 43% in 2009. Of the 27 member states, 18 were unable to secure turnouts of more than 50% in 2009. Of those, 11 had turnouts of less than 40%. The Eurobarometer survey from last December showed trust in European institutions has been on a downward trend since 2007 and that 33% of people trust EU institutions.
Does Mr. Higgins think greater European integration will widen the gap between European citizens and EU institutions? Is there a real appetite for further integration? How might democratic legitimacy and accountability, thorough parliamentary oversight, with distinct roles at national and European Parliament level, be more clearly defined?
How does Mr. Higgins consider that national parliaments, including the Dáil and the Seanad, if we are still here in the coming years, might strengthen their role under the European semester programme?
In regard to the current debates on the multi-annual financial framework, MFF, an issue that struck me in going through the drafts is the notion of macroeconomic conditionality. Is that still on the table in terms of the Cohesion and Structural Funds? What position is Mr. Higgins's party group in the European Parliament taking on macroeconomic conditionality and is he working to oppose it? It is intended that agreement will be reached on the MFF regulation at the June plenary meeting of the European Parliament. Does Mr. Higgins expect that the Parliament will give its consent in this regard?
In terms of the MFF and how it links in with the Irish Presidency, we have been repeatedly assured that the issue of youth unemployment is a pillar of the Presidency. There was an agreement with the Council for funding of €6 billion under the youth employment initiative of the MFF for 2014-2020, but that is being held up until the MFF is agreed by Parliament. The Council recommendations acknowledge that youth unemployment is a major issue and that measures to address it must be implemented as soon as possible. Does Mr. Higgins accept that member states cannot afford to wait for agreement to be reached on the MFF before action in this area commences? I acknowledge that the funding for the youth employment initiative will not be released until that agreement is secured, but is Mr. Higgins of the view that member states should be making preparations for its roll-out, which might include a consideration of the necessity for matching funding? After all, the provision over six years of €6 billion across all member states with youth employment of more than 20% will not be adequate to tackle the issue.
The end of Ireland's Presidency coincides with the one-year anniversary of the June 2012 European Council meeting which called for the link between banking and sovereign debt to be broken. How much progress has been made on this issue? Does Mr. Higgins see a real appetite for change in this regard in Parliament, including within his own political grouping?
I welcome Mr. Higgins to the Chamber. I should perhaps refer to him as "Deputy Higgins", which I understand is the title used by Members of the European Parliament themselves in the course of their work. I get a kick out of that title because it is one I aspire to myself within our national Parliament. It is always a welcome departure to have Members of the European Parliament address the House. These engagements arise out of the excellent initiative championed by the Leader under the aegis of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. Mr. Higgins's experience in politics at local, national and European level gives him a broad-ranging perspective which we are particularly interested to hear. He clearly has been and continues to be a great ambassador for the country and we can be justifiably proud to have him representing our interests in Europe.
Mr. Higgins's address is particularly timely given that Ireland is the current holder of the Presidency. Ministers and officials from our fellow member states have visited the country in the past five months and will continue to do so until the end of June. This is Ireland's seventh time to hold this responsibility, which is always an honour for the country. The 2013 Presidency has come as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of our accession to the European Economic Community in 1973 and has further strengthened the commitment we have shown to the European Union project since our accession. As we mark our 40th year of membership it is useful to reflect on the remarkable changes that have taken place in our country, politically, culturally, economically and in terms of infrastructure. As Senator Michael Mullins observed, in 1973 we did not even have a motorway in Ireland. The wonderful changes that have come about through the provision of Structural Funds represent one of the major benefits of our membership of the European Union. In the year of our accession, Ireland's wealth stood at 60% of the European average. Today, despite the effects of the economic crisis, our level of prosperity is above the European average. In the early 1970s more than 50% of our exports went to our nearest neighbour, the United Kingdom, while today we are engaged in the trade of goods and services globally. Other EU economies such as Germany have become increasingly important for Irish exporters. These are some of the notable and welcome aspects of our development and change since becoming a member of the Union in 1973.
Our priorities and aims for the Presidency are helping to shape European policy and contribute not only to Europe's growth and recovery but also to our own. The Government has already made huge strides, for example, towards addressing our debt burden. Indeed, within two short months of assuming the Presidency, the deal on the Anglo Irish Bank promissory notes provided a substantial easing of Ireland's debt burden, a deal which other political parties had argued at the time was not possible. It was a great triumph on behalf of the Irish people. Irish MEPs had their part to play in that, along with the Minister for Finance, Taoiseach, Tánaiste and various Government officials. We must continue to highlight the severity of Ireland's debt situation and to push for a deal on our sovereign debt. I implore Mr. Higgins to continue to liaise with his colleagues in Europe to achieve this.
This country has been through a great deal in recent years, with very turbulent financial times domestically exacerbated by a world recession. As we know, however, it is often during great adversity that opportunity knocks. Now is the time for the EU to demonstrate its strength and stability and its capacity to foster growth even in these much maligned times. Once steady growth is secured, the Union must foster employment opportunities which contribute to the welfare of the citizens of all member states. The best example of Europe's ability to confront extraordinarily trying and testing issues can be seen in Ireland's own experience in recent times. This State has undergone dramatic peaks and troughs in terms of growth in recent decades. In the 15 years preceding 2008 we were the envy of Europe as a consequence of our unprecedented economic growth. Unfortunately, that growth was fuelled largely by the excessive resources that were devoted to the property sector. Irish banks adopted a flaithiúlach approach to lending which culminated in the Government of the day deciding to guarantee their borrowings, thereby inextricably linking banking and sovereign debt. The cost, economic, human and otherwise, of rescuing the banks and their creditors has been vast in terms of the toll it has taken on the Irish people. In 2010, regretfully, we were obliged to seek support from the EU and the IMF when the door was closed on Ireland in the international financial markets. We were fortunate in those circumstances to have an only friend in town in the form of the EU, which ensured we had enough funding to keep the country running, ensure public sector workers were paid and ATMs were functioning.
At the same time, we assisted Europe by helping to ensure stability in the banking sector. That should never be forgotten by European decision makers. As a consequence of the decision by the then Government to guarantee the banking debt, a burden of €64 billion was imposed on citizens. Irish people have taken the hit and played their part in addressing the economic malaise afflicting Europe. Taxes have increased and expenditure has been curtailed. The public sector has been reduced in size and salaries have been cut by an average of 15%. The measures we have had to take have been difficult and there have been no easy choices. It is time now for the light at the end of the tunnel, which should manifest itself before the end of our Presidency through an agreement to relieve the burden of our bank-related debt. After all, we have shown other countries that there is a way back from crisis. For too long we were included in that unfortunate group of countries to which the equally unfortunate acronym "PIIGS" was applied. I look forward to the day when that acronym becomes "PIGS" and Ireland is no longer associated with it. That time is approaching and I urge Mr. Higgins and his colleagues in the European Parliament to continue to emphasise what we have gone through in this country and what needs to be done to improve our situation.
Finally, Senator Terry Leyden referred to the fodder crisis. I spoke yesterday with representatives of the Irish Farmers Association who expressed their serious concerns at the situation in France, where people are refusing to load boats for fear of being contaminated by what they have deemed to be hazardous substances contained within the fodder. What they are alleging seems rather outlandish. I ask Mr. Higgins to lobby the EU to establish an emergency fund which would assist farmers throughout the Union who find themselves in the circumstances facing Irish farmers, particularly on the west coast, in recent days.
Does Mr. Higgins wish to respond to the various contributions now? Perhaps we will take questions from some other Senators now and Mr. Higgins can reply to them all together.
Mr. Jim Higgins
I am very much in the hands of the House. I will do whatever the House wants to do.
I think some Members would like to ask questions at this stage.
Mr. Jim Higgins
That is okay.
Each Senator can ask at least two questions. I ask them to try to confine their contributions to one minute each.
I welcome Mr. Higgins to the House. I thank him for the kind words he said about his enjoyable experiences here. One is not supposed to enjoy anything in politics. It should be painful all the way.
I would like to ask a question about the future of Europe. There has been a great deal of talk about the proposed referendum in the UK and the trouble it could cause. Recently, some 130 MPs voted in favour of a motion expressing regret that the referendum was not mentioned in the Queen's speech. I am not asking Mr. Higgins to comment on the internal politics of it. If our closest commercial allies have a referendum on the EU, could it have a knock-on effect on us?
Senator van Turnhout mentioned a conference on the future of Europe. I would like to refer to Jean-Claude Piris's book on the future of Europe, which was published last year. Mr. Piris has been involved in legal aspects of much of the architecture of the EU. In his book, he deals with some of the proposals for the future direction of the EU. Does Mr. Higgins think the EU is well prepared to address the current and future challenges it might face? The terminology that is used refers to a "two-speed" Europe. The Lisbon treaty provides for closer integration among certain member states. Is the debate ongoing in Europe? Is it happening at all? Will it land on us? We have had enough surprises in this country without having to cater for any more. We should be prepared for all eventualities.
Mr. Higgins is very welcome. The last times our paths crossed, we were watching the debacle of the dustbin recount in Castlebar. Perhaps we should not revisit the last European elections. What was the winning slogan that was provided by the young girl from Donegal? I would like to hear it, if Mr. Higgins can recall it.
Like Senator Keane, I would be interested to know what is being said in the corridors of Brussels about the UK position. What is the feeling among colleagues, staff and other people about the impact it may have? Is it as unsettling as it may appear?
Does Mr. Higgins think the Common Agricultural Policy will do enough for small farmers, many of whom live in the enormous Ireland North-West constituency he represents. I am sure many of them have made representations to him about their concerns regarding the Common Agricultural Policy. I wonder whether he has any thoughts in that regard.
I share the views expressed by Mr. Higgins about the Irish Presidency. The rotating Presidency seems to cause a great deal of upheaval in Europe every time it switches. I accept that there does not seem to be another solution. Of course some countries are better able and better placed to assume the Presidency than others. Some countries have more experience of it, for example. Is there another formula that might work? Is the current formula satisfactory?
When the House debated Seanad reform yesterday, I was one of many speakers who suggested that the future of the Seanad might involve a role in scrutinising European legislation, perhaps as the national House for legislation that comes from Europe. The Lisbon treaty now gives us the status to scrutinise that legislation. I would like to hear the views of Mr. Higgins, as a former Senator and as an MEP of some distinction.
I apologise for not being present for the speech given by Deputy Higgins, who is very welcome to the House. We have learned during the presentations by various MEPs over the course of Ireland's Presidency that "Deputy" is the correct term.
I want to pick up on Senator O'Keeffe's question about the scrutiny of EU legislation. We have discussed this matter in the House on a number of occasions, including last night. I have always meant to ask an MEP whether, in practice, scrutiny takes place in other parliamentary chambers around Europe. If so, are MEPs aware of it? How does it work? We scrutinise EU measures relating to justice and home affairs at the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, of which I am a member. I wonder whether scrutiny is done in other countries in parliamentary chambers, as opposed to parliamentary committees. Do the results of that scrutiny get fed back into the European Parliament? Is there such a level of direct engagement with national parliamentary chambers? If so, is there a particularly good model we could adopt here in Ireland?
Does Senator Ó Clochartaigh have a question?
Timing is everything. Cuirim céad fáilte roimh an Uasal Ó hUigínn. Ba mhaith liom mo leithscéal a chur in iúl dó os rud é nach raibh mé anseo nuair a labhair sé. D'éist mé leis san oifig. Is mian liom ómós a thabhairt dó i dtaobh úsáid na Gaeilge. Ardaítear an cheist seo go rialta anseo sa Seanad. Is breá an rud é go bhfuil Seanadóirí ag úsáid níos mó Gaeilge de réir a chéile. Táimid ag caint ar an Uachtaránacht a bheith againn. An bhfuil muid ag baint dóthain deis as an Uachtaránacht chun an Ghaeilge agus na mionteangacha eile ar fud na hEorpa a chur chun cinn? Níl na teangacha teoranta go dtí na tíortha nó na stáit - tá siad ceangailte le réigiúin faoi leith agus mar sin de. Tuigim go n-úsáideann an tUasal Ó hUigínn an Ghaeilge go rialta thall ansin. B'fhéidir nach bhfuilimid ag baint dóthain leas as an deis an-mhaith atá ann i bParlaimint na hEorpa ó thaobh ateangairí, daoine a úsáideann na Gaeilge agus daoine a dhéanann aistriúcháin. Bhí sé i gceist go mbeadh i bhfad níos mó daoine oilte le dul ag obair faoi scáil an aontais. Ba bhreá liom tuairimí an tUasal Ó hUigínn a fháil faoi sin.
Tá ceist bheag eile agam a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge. Tá mé tar éis roinnt fiosruithe a dhéanamh faoin gcostas breise atá ann chun fada a chur ar téacsteachtaireacht. Tuigim go mbaineann an costas sin le rialacháin Eorpacha agus go gcaithfear na socruithe Tras-Eorpacha a athrú ag an leibhéal sin ionas nach mbeidh costas breise i gceist amach anseo. Más mian liom "Trevor Ó Clochartaigh" a chur i dtéacsteachtaireacht, caithfidh mé airgead breise a íoc as an "Ó". Níl ciall nó réasún le sin. An bhfuilimid in ann aon rud a dhéanamh ar leibhéal na hEorpa chun cothrom na féinne a thabhairt do na teangacha éagsúla lena mbaineann an fhadhb seo?
Mr. Jim Higgins
Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí a chur na ceisteanna éagsúla agus a dúirt an oiread sin rudaí deasa. Aontaím leis an Seanadóir Ó Clochartaigh gur mhór an trua é nach n-úsáidtear níos mó Gaeilge i bParlaimint na hEorpa, go mórmhór os rud é go bhfuil foireann aistriúcháin ar fáil. Úsáideann triúr feisire - Séan Ó Ceallaigh, Pat the Cope Ó Gallchóir agus mé féin - an teanga go rialta sa Pharlaimint. Tá an-dainséar go gcuirfear an tseirbhís seo ar ceal muna bhfuilimid sásta níos mó úsáide a bhaint as. Is iontach an rud é go bhfuil an tseirbhís againn. Caithfidh mé an-chreidiúnt a thabhairt don iar-Aire, an Teachta Éamon Ó Cuív, a throid chun aitheantas oifigiúil a fháil don Ghaeilge mar theanga oifigiúil agus oibre sa Pharlaimint ionas go mbeadh an córas aistriúcháin seo ar fáil. Os rud é nach bhfuil seans againn labhairt ar feadh níos mó ná dhá nó trí nóiméad, níl aon leithscéal ar bith acu siúd nach mbaineann níos mó usáide as an teanga. Tháinig an Ghaeilge isteach mar theanga oifigiúil agus oibre ar 1 Eanáir 2007. Ba cheart dúinn níos mó úsáide a bhaint aisti. Tá an-bhaol ann go gcaillfear an stádas seo muna bhfuil níos mó feisirí sástá an teanga a úsáid. Aontaím go hiomlán leis an méid atá ráite ag an Seanadóir.
I thank Senator Leyden for his kind comments. I made a deliberate decision not to mention in my contribution the possible reduction from 12 to 11 in Ireland's number of MEPs. It is off the radar at present even though it is crucial for this country. When the first direct elections took place in 1979, Ireland had 15 MEPs. That number was reduced to 13 and then to 12. One cannot blame the Germans and the French because this decision was taken in the European Parliament. The number of German MEPs is decreasing from 99 to 96 and the number of Irish MEPs is decreasing from 12 to 11. All of the small countries are being hit. The Lisbon treaty deemed that the maximum number of MEPs should be 751.
It also put in a condition that the minimum number for each country would be six. Therefore, Ireland, with a population of 4.5 million, would have 11 MEPs while Malta, with a population of 400,000, would be guaranteed six MEPs, and Luxembourg, with a population of 500,000, would also be guaranteed six MEPs. It is complete and utter folly. The Senator asked what will happen in regard to Turkey coming in. After Croatia comes in, Kosovo is very much in line and we will probably see it as a full member of the EU within the next two or three years.
I am not without hope that this may be vetoed. I know the Greeks feel very strongly about it. They are a bit like ourselves in regard to our indebtedness to Europe as, on the one hand, Greece is very much one of the programme countries but, on the other, the Greeks are very fired up about this, as are the Lithuanians. If there is a veto, and if Ireland decides to go that road, we will not be on our own. It is very much all to play for.
The Senator is correct with regard to the fodder crisis. Under the new CAP, we will have a harvest insurance scheme similar to that which applies in the United States - that is an integral part of the CAP. However, in the short term, I do not see anything coming from Europe, unfortunately. The Senator outlined the number of livestock which have died since the beginning of the year, which is frightening.
I pay tribute to my former colleague in the European Parliament, Senator Colm Burke. He had the unenviable task of stepping into the fairly sizeable shoes of the current Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, and he very much focused on foreign affairs, with particular reference to human rights. I know that in his capacity as an MEP, Senator Colm Burke visited Chad on several occasions. Unfortunately, he did not get the publicity he deserved at the time but he did a huge amount in terms of highlighting the problems in Chad as well as the problems in Gaza.
The Senator is right about the lack of media focus on the European Parliament, which is very much akin to what happens in this House. Was it Harold Wilson who said that all politics is local, and-----
It was Tip O'Neill.
Mr. Jim Higgins
The man with the big shock of hair. When one is competing with local council issues and national issues, it is very hard to keep the international or European front on the radar.
From my own viewpoint, I am very lucky in that I have an excellent staff who pump out a huge volume of press statements almost on a daily basis. We regularly monitor the number of hits we get. Basically, the focus is the local media so, again, to come back to Tip O'Neill, all politics is local.
The Senator's suggestions in regard to Europe Day and the twinning of towns, which he applied in his own lord mayoralty of Cork, are excellent ideas. One of the issues he touched on concerns the envisaged reduction in the number of MEPs. As an Irish delegation, we sit down at the very start, whether we are from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil or the Labour Party, and we try to cover as many committees as possible, particularly those that are of vital importance to Ireland. We are not entitled to be on more than one committee as a full member, so I am a full member on the committee dealing with transport and tourism, for example, and Mr. Pat The Cope Gallagher is a full member on the fisheries committee, where he does a very good job. We try to spread the resources in that way. One can be a full member of one committee and a substitute member of another. As a substitute member, one does not have full voting rights and one can only attend if one asks to substitute for somebody else.
If we were to lose one of our MEP seats, our strength and representation at the committees, particularly the vital committees, would be further diminished. It is not looking good in that regard so, as a country, we need to look at this. I believe it is unfair by virtue of the fact the elections will probably be over this time next year yet we still do not know the configuration for those elections. Indeed, the local elections are happening and we still do not know what the new electoral boundaries will be. Subsequent to that announcement, we will then have an electoral committee which will look at the European scene. While that could be done overnight in terms of just assessing the population of the different countries, different constituencies and so on, we need to know this as a matter of urgency.
Senator Jillian van Turnout referred to obesity. As she may be aware, I have been raising the issue of obesity regularly. I put it very strongly to the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, that home economics should be compulsory right up to junior certificate.
Hear, hear.
Mr. Jim Higgins
The Minister came back to me and said he does not want to impose it as a strict obligation on schools, and he basically wants to leave it to the discretion of school management. I believe, given the growing obesity problem that has been highlighted through "Operation Transformation" and the statistics on the medical costs to the HSE and the wider social costs, that this should be done immediately. Unfortunately, it is a problem we are not coming to grips with.
The Senator mentioned the role of the citizens. As a result of the Lisbon treaty, a petition can be made to the Parliament, although this requires 1 million signatures. However, many people are not aware that the Parliament has a procedure known as "written declarations". If somebody comes forward with a particular policy proposal and can get that policy proposal signed by 50% of MEPs, it then becomes an obligation on the European Commission to produce a report based on it, which forces the Commission to take action.
To give one example, a number of years ago, I happened to spot in a newspaper during the summer recess that the European Commission was taking the Kingdom of Denmark to the European Court of Justice because Denmark was introducing a maximum threshold of 3% for hydrogenated fats, or trans-fats, which are found in, for example, spreadable margarines, and are a major cause of coronary disease. Here we had the European Commission, which hands out diktats in regard to how citizens and countries should behave, taking Denmark to the European Court of Justice. After I spotted it, Ms Linda McAvan, the UK MEP, Mr. Dan Jørgensen, the Danish MEP, and I got a written declaration signed by more than 50% of the European Parliament, which forced the Commission to withdraw its proceedings. Not alone that, it is now introducing as a mandatory maximum the measure for which it was going to take the Kingdom of Denmark to the European Court of Justice. This shows the value of the procedure.
To give one example, a number of years ago, I happened to spot in a newspaper during the summer recess that the European Commission was taking the Kingdom of Denmark to the European Court of Justice because the Kingdom of Denmark was introducing a maximum threshold of 3% for hydrogenated fats, or trans-fats, which are found in, for example, spreadable margarines, and are a major cause of coronary disease. Here we had the European Commission, which hands out diktats in regard to how citizens and countries should behave, taking Denmark to the European Court of Justice. After I spotted it, Ms Linda McAvan, the UK MEP, Mr. Dan Jørgensen, the Danish MEP, and myself got a written declaration signed by more than 50% of the European Parliament, which forced the Commission to withdraw its proceedings. Not alone that, it is now introducing as a mandatory minimum the measure it was going to take the Kingdom of Denmark to the European Court of Justice for. This shows the value of the procedure.
Another very useful committee from the point of view of citizens engaging is the petitions committee. Where an individual or a community feel they have a grievance against a state agency, such as a local authority, a Government department or a semi-state body, they can bring a petition before the petitions committee and have it heard and adjudicated upon. Three families, the Farren family from Carndonagh, County Donegal, the Gallagher family from Achill, County Mayo, and the Keane family from Ballylongford, County Kerry, came to me some time ago. The situation in regard to the Farren family is that they lost their beautiful daughter, Sinead Farren-McDaid. She was travelling on a road she travelled every day. Donegal County Council had resurfaced the road, left loose chippings on the road and provided only a small sign, which I understand had fallen on the grass. Having travelled that road every day, Sinead thought she could drive at normal speed. She came over a bump in the road, hit the loose chippings, which had not been swept, and it was the equivalent of driving on black ice. She died in the ambulance on the way to Altnagelvin Hospital.
In the case of Ashling Gallagher, Mayo County Council put down a sub-surface known as dense bitumen macadam, which had not been finished. The signs were left up stating one could drive at 100 km/h and the markings were on the road as if it was a 100 km/h safe driving zone. It was a wet day. Ashling went in under a dump truck and her body was laid out on Christmas Day at her home. In the case of the Keane family of Ballylongford, Eileen Keane and her boyfriend, Trevor Tuite, went through a junction where there was no yield sign or any other sign.
The families could get absolutely no joy from the local authorities in question. They were not looking for compensation. All they wanted was an acknowledgement that the local authorities were responsible for the deaths of their three beautiful daughters. They came out to Europe at my invitation.
Tina Leonard came to do a documentary for RTE. She had tracked the family from their home in Donegal to their hotel and to the European Parliament and as a result the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport is conducting a major inquiry into the deaths of the three girls, which I think will hear experts from the Netherlands.
The week before last the West on Track people, of whom Senator Leyden is well aware, came to air their grievance that money has not been provided to enable the final phase of the railway line from Athenry to Tuam and Claremorris to go ahead and they got an excellent hearing. As a result the Petitions Committee is coming to the west to see the underspend on infrastructure, even though this has increased and improved greatly as a result of our accession to the European Union.
I do not think that power is moving to the centre. There is a perception that France and Germany are the engines but we have always used the slogan that we are at the heart of Europe and it is generally recognised that even though this is an island off an island, we are very much at the heart of Europe. As regards the MFF, which Senator Reilly also raised, the way to go is to have a multi-annual financial framework rather than coming back every year. If it gets through the Parliament, it will be worth €960 billion, which will cover 2014 to 2020. The hold up is that it is looking for an additional €11 billion for the rest of this year. That is the fly in the ointment.
The Senator mentioned youth unemployment. That is a major issue when one considers that in Italy and Spain 56% of the youth are unemployed. The safety valve here is emigration which is not a desirable one, but it has certainly reduced the pressure. We must give the youth guarantee fund initiative, which has been announced, a chance and see how it operates. As for the comment about the role of national parliaments, when I told my colleagues in the bureau that I and other MEPs would be addressing the Seanad and exchanging views with it, they were envious. This is a model that can be adopted in other countries. We need greater liaison between the domestic parliaments and the European Parliament.
There are only four of us, Mairéad McGuinness, Seán Kelly, Gay Mitchell and me, and although we are small fish in a big pond, we have managed to get a considerable amount of leeway on reports and so on. For example, this week I finished a report on changing from analogue to digital tacographs which are tamper proof. I am now in the throes of preparing a report on barrier-free tolling throughout the European Union which we are hoping will be the norm by 2020. I like to think that we punch above our weight within our respective groups, not only my group but the Fianna Fáil and Labour MEPs within their group.
With regard to the debt deals and getting further concessions from the EU, an awful lot depends on the German elections. If they were out of the way we would be talking business and wringing more concessions from the EU. Dr. Merkel has a problem and the Bavarian and other local elections have not gone particularly well for her.
Senator Lorraine Higgins is right to say that Senator Cummins deserves to be commended on his initiative in inviting us here. As regards trade, if we compare our pre-1973 figures with today's figures we can see that the great advantage in our participation in the EU is that, first, it has freed us from the shackles of being almost entirely dependent on the UK market, and, second, it has given Ireland the role of a gateway for US investment which is beginning to flow in our direction again. We like to boast of our labour relations climate because we do not strike any more, and thankfully what is happening at the Labour Relations Commission and Croke Park II will ensure that we have stable labour relations for the foreseeable future. We are English speaking, highly educated and so on, and the Americans see us as the gateway to that huge market of almost 500 million people.
I take the point about the fodder. I am confident that as the history of this decade is written it will be seen as only a bump on the horizon and that Europe will get back to being a prosperous union based on principles of economic stability and solidarity.
Senator Cáit Keane spoke about the future of Europe. I am optimistic that General De Gaulle's dream of a united Europe, stretching from the Atlantic to the Urals, is happening, if slowly. I sit between Latvians and Lithuanians every day and they are very proud to be part and parcel of the Union. I have already given the example from Poland.
I was delighted that Senator Susan O'Keeffe was nominated to the Seanad. She spoke about the count in Castlebar, where there was an allegation regarding votes which backfired on the individual in question, and during the European election campaign Senator O'Keeffe played no small part in burying Libertas and consigning it to the dustbin, hopefully once and for all. Her nomination here was well deserved and I follow her career. She made a point about small farmers. I regularly meet the farming organisations and there are huge divisions between the IFA, the ICSA and the ICMSA around decoupling. The big issue is whether there will be redistribution of the single farm payment. I believe it is very wrong that some farmers get €50 per hectare whereas others get €1,200 per hectare. We need to re-balance that payment. The IFA is detached from the other two organisations in its stance on the issue. It is all to be played for. One of the big issues was that the Commissioner, Mr. Ciolo, wanted to propose a flattening of payments, in other words, one payment per hectare. The IFA says this would be a disincentive and is hung up on the active, productive farmer and so on. The Commissioner then proposed a guaranteed minimum payment of €196 per hectare but some of the farming organisations are against that. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, has a battle on his hands on that issue.
Much of the easy stuff was disposed of at the trialogues but we are now into the heavy lifting. I hope that this will happen and deliver a final package to us that will give small farmers more assistance than they now get. I am reasonably confident that it will happen during the Irish Presidency because after this Lithuania holds the Presidency for the first time. No disrespect to Lithuania, but I do not know that it will have the skill and know-how to deal with the intractable issues if they are not dealt with before 30 June.
Senator Bacik made a point about the structures. They are very much the same as those in the Oireachtas. The Commission makes a proposal which goes to the Council and to the Parliament. It does not go straight into a full sitting of the Parliament but to the committees. That is where the work is done to improve something from the Commission. It then goes to trialogues where the Commission, Parliament and the Council sit down together and thrash it out. Then it goes for a second reading into the full sitting of the Parliament.
There is a great deal of scrutiny. It is a little like the work that is done by a joint or select committee in that what happens at committee level is seldom if ever reported. Unfortunately, it is only what is done in the plenary sessions that tends to be covered, but they do not receive all that much coverage either. The two newspapers which have permanent representatives in Brussels are The Irish Times and the Irish Examiner, which would not have the same level of circulation. Unfortunately, the Irish Independent does not have a permanent presence in Brussels despite its large circulation at domestic level.
I hope I have dealt with most of the points raised. I thank the Members for their courtesy, kind words, attention and input.
When is it proposed to sit again?
Ar leath uair tar éis a deich, maidin Dé Céadaoin.