An estimated 60 million Europeans, most of them little more than youths, were killed in the first half of the 20th century. The European Union exists to ensure this never happens again. To continue to achieve this aim, the EU must continue to enlarge and integrate - by unanimous agreement of existing member-states through negotiations called inter-governmental conferences.
Unlike any previous union this one is not the result of military conquest but of the freely given consent of the peoples of Europe; it is a union based on democracy, respect for human rights and solidarity between peoples, regions and generations.
We also live in a Europe where a new security architecture is being built, one based on common values and new models of conflict prevention and, where necessary, conflict resolution. Europe is moving ahead on security co-operation and Ireland will face crucial decisions about what its role should be. Why do ministers not speak publicly about these issues? Security and stability are central issues in the European integration process.
Ms Sile De Valera has followed on the Tanaiste, Mary Harney's comments on EU membership. It appears both ministers want some sort of debate on the future of the EU. It would help the debate if the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, would state his position on an issue of crucial concern to the EU, that of defence and security. Every Taoiseach from Sean Lemass to John Bruton has made his position clear on this. Bertie Ahern is the only one not to have declared his position, even though he is participating in discussions on this matter at EU level.
Mary Harney talks about wanting enlargement but not integration. This ignores the reality that without further integration the decisionmaking structures of the EU will not work. The two ministers talk glowingly of a Europe of strong nation states. We had a Europe of strong nation states from 1900 to 1950; it laid waste to Europe and left 60 million dead. That is why we must build a Europe at peace through integration.
What is integration? Integration is not assimilation i.e., where we all become uniform and indistinguishable. It is about different traditions, religions, and cultures living side by side by agreement and with mutual respect. What is the reason for integration? Integration is not motivated by a desire by Brussels Eurocrats for more power, but is based on the reality that in our increasingly complex world we can tackle certain issues only by working more closely together. For example, in the fight against international crime and drug trafficking, in protecting our environment, in trade negotiations with the US (many of whose companies are in Ireland only because of our committed membership of the EU) in company law, etc.
Who makes decisions in the EU? Ireland has a seat at the Council of Ministers and the European Council (heads of state or government). The EU cannot impose fundamental change on Ireland against our will. We have power but also responsibility in Europe. Ms de Valera talks about detrimental EU directives. However, she offers no examples nor does she tell us if Irish ministers agreed to these anonymous directives.
Is this duty-free mark two - Irish ministers vote for a change and then try to blame Europe? In truth, the EU has empowered us as a country and as communities. Are we to deny the same opportunity for freedom to the 106 million people pleading to be admitted to the EU, mainly in former communist-dominated states? Are they to be denied the freedom and opportunities for peace, stability and prosperity which we now enjoy? Will the EU remain at peace and stable if those states are left to their own devices?
In the "good old days", Britain decided it wanted cheap food and that determined the price we got. In the "good old days", Britain or Germany put up interest rates and we had to follow, without any consultation. Now we have a voice at the European Central Bank. In the "good old days", things like world trade rules were made by others and the results were imposed on Ireland. Now we are a full part of the negotiations as part of the EU team. In the "good old days", the Department of Finance basically controlled all spending and there was no room for local decisionmaking. It was the EU which insisted on local decision-making, with small communities deciding their own priorities. The EU initiated local development programmes which let local communities, rather than Dublin, decide, for the first time, what was best for their own areas.
Ms de Valera's speech is the latest example of a Government in disarray. The Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs say one thing; they favour an enlarged and more integrated EU, while two of their Cabinet colleagues say the opposite. The Taoiseach says tax cuts will apply only to the most disadvantaged; the Tanaiste says they must be widespread.
The disarray was evidenced by the fiasco over the appointment of a vice-president of the European Investment Bank, which was allowed to drag on for four months when it was clear from the beginning the appointment was not acceptable to the public. Surely Ms Harney and Ms de Valera are not retaliating for the refusal of their European fellow ministers to ignore the views of the Irish people?
This is a Government with no clear direction, drifting from crisis to crisis. Mary Harney claims the success of the economy for her type of policies. The main reason for the success of the Irish economy is free and open access to the Single European Market of close to 350 million people (soon to be 500 million).
Our children no longer kill each other at the behest of government, king or kaiser. They do not have to emigrate to Cricklewood or elsewhere to labour on the building sites of other, more prosperous, states. They have choices which are unprecedented in Irish history, women as well as men, again mainly thanks to the EU. Wandering ministers who cannot visit foreign destinations or institutions without wondering out loud how we might correct all this are a liability to the State. The electorate will soon have the opportunity to restore sanity.
Gay Mitchell is a Fine Gael TD and a former junior minister for European Affairs.