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

APPENDIX 4

Final Paper: Strengthening the Link Between the European Union and its Citizens

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 Day

It is proposed that there should be, on a once-off trial basis, an Oireachtas European Day. The purpose of such a day 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 on Oireachtas European Day. Motions on secondary legislation arising from such Directives could be debated and discussed.

Taoiseach’s Questions time on the day in question would be confined to European issues. Ministers’ Questions time 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.

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.

Private Members’ Business, which would have started on the Tuesday and would be concluded on the Wednesday evening at 20:30, would, by agreement with the whips, have a European theme. During the once-off trial, the Seanad would not have a particular role during the European Day.

The Oireachtas European Day could also extend to the agendas of the Oireachtas Committees meeting that day. 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 would be transmitted nationwide, and that a DVD of proceedings would be produced for the use of members advocating similar projects to other European parliamentarians.

A draft outline of the shape of the proposed Oireachtas European Day is attached. It is proposed that the European Affairs Committee, upon finalising the structure of Oireachtas European Day, would publicise it and request the Whips to bring it to the meeting of the Dáil 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 Day 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. It would be in the spirit of cohesion of the XXXIV COSAC concerning subsidiarity and proportionality.

Joint Committee on European Affairs

February 2006