Ireland has a role to play in making the E.U. united and strong.

Financial service providers act as the lubricating oil in the economy. They link consumers who want to invest their savings for a good return with companies who want to borrow on best terms for expansion.

When the E.U. and the U.S. agree, other countries follow.

The E.U. imports more agricultural goods from developing countries around the world than does the U.S., Canada and Japan, combined.

If the EU and the US can cooperate successfully on regulating financial markets, everyone else will follow.

Proliferation of nuclear weapons to terrorist organisations is far more dangerous than proliferation of nuclear weapons to states, even states like North Korea.

We in Ireland have not been immune from the bigotry and the indifference which manifested itself in Europe this century