I compliment the Minister of State on his input into European affairs. I know he is dedicated and that he participates at all levels within the European Union. I commend him on the work he is doing. I know the value of the European Union, of the Single Market, and how valuable it is for Ireland to be a member of the European Union, but that does not mean that, in a debate like this, we cannot raise our concerns about Europe and the direction it is taking. From the beginning, Europe was about people. It was about the people whom we represent and the people who elect those in all other member states to represent them in the European Union. Irish people believe that is the way it should work. Democracy should work in that fashion, but it does not really, in the European Union. That is why I will call on the Minister of State to highlight the need to overhaul the bureaucratic structure in the European Union to make it far more transparent and usable, and to have far more emphasis in those structures on the people we represent. The Minister of State said the European Union is about us. We are European. We are the members, but sometimes it feels as if you are outside the door and that somebody else, other than those we elect to the European Parliament, are actually making those decisions. That approach can be seen by way of the various regulations, legislation or direction that is sent to us here in Ireland, to the Government, to transpose into Irish law. That happens regularly and we do not have sufficient input here to analyse what is actually going on, to raise our criticisms, and to raise suggestions to make things better, because it is done and dusted and we do not have a say. That is not democracy. That is simply bureaucratic structures imposing their desire to have the European Union go in a particular direction and not take into consideration consequences for its members. For example, the consequences of the financial crash were that we picked up the debt. Germany, France and Italy insisted on it, yet in Ireland, Jonathan Sugarman highlighted the fact that the Italian bank was bust. Did the Italian bank get sanctioned? No. Did Jonathan Sugarman get sanctioned? Yes. He is living a life that is far from perfect and ideal and was never recognised for the work he has done. We - Ireland and the Government in question - used Europe as a dumping ground; we sent stuff to Europe. For example, people such as Noel McGree, and Dan Brennan in my own constituency, raised an issue in the European Union and had it dealt with, but there has been almost no outcome, other than constant deliberation and nonsense to pretend that something is being dealt with when it is not. Julie Grace is another example of a whistleblower who went to Europe, aired her case and the European Union just turned a deaf ear. We in Ireland did the same thing. We provided the direction for these people to go to Europe in order that we would get them away somewhere else and we would not have to deal with them under the whistleblower legislation. I would like to see farmers and the farming community better recognised in the European Union. Take away the red tape and bureaucracy and start understanding that it is the farmers and those who live in the countryside who care for it. Then, make it easier for them to draw down whatever financial supports might be available so they can continue their work without having to fill out a huge number of forms and tick boxes and then be caught at times because they have either not ticked the box or have ticked the wrong box. Where is Europe in terms of leadership on the cost-of-living crisis we are going through? Where was it on insurance and banking? Why can we not access low interest rates, banking institutions and insurance? Why? I have not heard any of this raised in the European Union and I urge the representatives we have elected to do so.

Sentiment score: 0.11