I would like to start by commenting on the vote last week of the Irish public in regard to the Lisbon treaty. This is the first opportunity the House has had to discuss the outcome of that vote. We are in a situation that we did not predict. There was a resounding ‘’No’’ vote to the Lisbon treaty and it is a difficult position for Ireland to be in. I wish the Taoiseach good luck tomorrow when he attends the summit in Brussels because he is in a difficult position. 

I agree with the approach he has taken to date, which is that there are no quick fixes, that we have to be measured, take our time and remain calm and look to protect Ireland’s future interests but also to negotiate with our European partners, see what their view of the situation is and how we can all move together. It is a complex situation. 

It was disturbing to see in The Irish Times this morning the result of a European Commission telephone poll, which indicated that 40% of the people who voted ‘’No’’ said they did so because they did not understand the treaty. That goes back to the point raised by Senator Alex White that we must do a better job of communicating Europe on an ongoing basis to the people of this country and other member states because it is not fair to expect them to be able to digest complex legal treaties in the space of a couple of weeks and to make an informed decision on them. 

We should avoid political recrimination even though people are looking for someone to blame. I was amused to see this morning that Commissioner Peter Mandelson was finding fault with the Government. The same charge could equally be levied at him, as he was a target for a lot of criticism in the Irish campaign. We should avoid that kind of political recrimination. What we have to look for now are constructive ways forward. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs to address the House on how he envisages we can move forward. He has been to the Council of Ministers meeting yesterday and has had an opportunity to take the temperature and to identify how the ministers of the other member states are feeling. 

The issue is not just about the Lisbon treaty. The same problems have emerged previously. I have been involved in the campaign on the Amsterdam treaty, the Nice treaty and recently the Lisbon treaty and there is a serious issue about the support of the citizens of Europe for the project. People are not engaged in the way they should be. Most European leaders are very honest in saying that if they had put the treaty to the public in the various member states, very few of them could have guaranteed that they would have had a level of support that would have carried the treaty. We need to accept that and ask what can be done to address the democratic deficit. We also need to look creatively at how we can do that because if we manage to somehow salvage the treaty and not address that fundamental issue we will face further difficulties in the future and that is not in any of our interests. 

I welcome the publication of the recommendations of the commission set up to review constituency boundaries. The results have been positive. The remit that was given to the commission—– 

Senator Jerry Buttimer
Gerrymandering. 

Senator Déirdre de Búrca
—–was to align the electoral areas with the Dáil constituencies—–

Senator Jerry Buttimer
It will be all right. 

Senator Déirdre de Búrca
—–and to reduce the number of three-seat constituencies. Every democrat in this House will be very happy that the number of three-seat constituencies has been significantly reduced. 

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames
It will work for the Green Party. 

Senator Déirdre de Búrca
It is in the interests of the proportional representation system, of independent candidates and of smaller parties. 

Senator Alex White
Hear, hear. 

Senator Déirdre de Búrca
Any of us who believe in the democratic system will welcome that change. I compliment the committee and welcome the recommendations. 

Filed under:
European Affairs, Order of Business, Seanad Speeches by Deirdre