Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 2005 > Committee on European Affairs > Report No. 09 - Europe Day in Dáil Éireann

APPENDIX 3

Original Paper Submitted by Deputy Ruairí Quinn: Making use of the Period of Reflection on the future of the European Union

Making use of the Period of Reflection on the future of the European Union

European citizens relate directly to their national parliaments. The media in each member state provides a lot of TV, radio and print coverage of the activities of the lawmakers. People in Ireland, for example, have a sense of what is going on and what the political issues of the day are.

The same cannot be said about the European Parliament. Despite the best efforts of MEPs, European political parties and the European Commission there is not the same connection as there is at national level.

In Ireland the Oireachtas is considered much more relevant than the European Parliament. Ironically, the European Parliament gets to debate draft European laws before national parliaments have the responsibility of transposing those laws into domestic legislation. In fact, 70% of Irish national law is enacted in response to European Union initiatives.

Between them the three core institutions of the European Union, the Commission, the Council of Ministers and the Parliament, debate, agree and enact European laws, which then become national legislation.

But this process is not fully understood by European citizens in all of the Member States. At best it is regarded as Brussels providing a progressive lead on social or environmental issues. At worst it is denounced as the European Union interfering in national affairs, even though the national Minister had agreed to the measure in the Council of Ministers.

It is clear that the present situation is unsatisfactory. The role of the European Parliament is poorly understood and badly reported in national media. While the Oireachtas does get good coverage the public, the media and even many members of the Oireachtas do not understand the European origination of so much of our work.

This problem is not unique to Ireland. The same could be said, in varying degrees, to apply across the European Union. It can be solved if we use the local strength of national parliaments to highlight the interaction between the Member States and the three core institutions of the European Union, the Commission, the Council of Ministers and the Parliament.

Oireachtas European Week

It is proposed that there should be, on a regular basis, an Oireachtas European Week. The purpose of such a week would be to concentrate the majority of the business of the Oireachtas around European related issues.

This would include legislation and related motions being concerned exclusively with European issues. For example, domestic legislation designed to give effect to European Union Directives would be taken during Oireachtas European Week. Motions on secondary legislation arising from such Directives could be debated and discussed.

Taoiseach’s Questions time on Tuesday would be confined to European issues. If there was sufficient business it would carry over into Taoiseach’s Questions time on the second day.

Three sets of Ministers’ Questions time would take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the Dáil. All three sets would be concerned with European related issues. In order to retain the capacity to address issues of concern that had arisen domestically, Leaders’ Questions would not be confined to European issues.

On Wednesday morning, after Taoiseach’s Questions time, the Dáil would hear a special address from an invited European Commissioner. This would be, for example, someone like President Barroso, Commissioner Wallström (Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communications Strategy), Commissioner Mandelson (Commissioner for Trade) or Commissioner Almunia (Commissioner for Economic & Monetary Affairs). The purpose of the address would be for the Commissioner to highlight an area of interest. This would be followed by questions and answers with Deputies in the Dáil chamber.

The Seanad would also have a role during the European week. Legislation taken on Wednesday in the Seanad would concentrate on European affairs, in a manner similar to that of the Dáil.

On Thursday the Seanad would have a report from the European Parliament. This would take the form of a Chairperson of a Committee of the European Parliament being invited to report on an aspect of work related to that parliamentary committee. For example, the Chairperson of the Agriculture Committee or the Regional Affairs Committee would report to the Seanad. Senators would then be in a position to ask questions of that Chairperson on the matters raised by him or her. The Irish members of the European Parliament would have right of attendance and participation in this process. This would take place in the Seanad on Thursday so as not to clash with the special address to the Dáil on the Wednesday.

The Oireachtas European Week could also extend to the agendas of the Oireachtas Committees meeting that week. This would be a matter for the Chairs of the Committees to determine with their own members.

Arrangements would be made to ensure that live coverage of the special address on Wednesday in the Dáil and the European Parliament report on Thursday in the Seanad would be transmitted nationwide.

A draft outline of the shape of the proposed Oireachtas European Week is attached. It is proposed that the European Affairs Committee, upon finalising the structure of Oireachtas European Week, would publicise it and request the Whips to bring it to the meeting of the Dáil and Seanad whips for discussion and implementation.

Conclusion

If this proposal, subject to amendment, is accepted, it would give a lead to other national parliaments throughout the Union.

Many Member States regarded the establishment of the National Forum on Europe as the way in which a dialogue could be constructed amongst European citizens at national level. Equally, the idea of a parliamentary European Week could apply to all national parliaments. This is a proposal that the Ceann Comhairle and Cathaoirleach could bring to the European Union Speakers’ Conference as our contribution.

Ruairí Quinn TD

21^st October 2005