Proinsias De Rossa (PSE). - Madam President, could I suggest that those in this House from Member States other than Ireland who wish to speak for the Irish people on the Lisbon Treaty put their names down on the ballot paper in Ireland for the European elections!

It is a matter for the Irish people to decide whether we ratify the Lisbon Treaty or not. I hope we do, and I will work very hard to achieve that. I want Ireland to remain at the heart of decision-making in Europe.

All those who are calling for a second Irish ‘no’ are hoping that Ireland can be used as a sledgehammer to begin the destruction of the European Union. I will not stand for that. Our history predisposes us to be cautious. It has also taught us that solidarity and power-sharing with other European states is the best guarantee of our sovereignty and the best guarantee of our prosperity.

Minister Vondra, in his opening statement, made no reference to the social crisis we are facing at the moment. I would urge him to revise his line. We are in fact facing an economic, financial and social crisis: 27 million people and their families are facing total hell over the coming years. We cannot have a European Union that ignores that.