Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 2007 > Committee on European Affairs > Annual Report of the Joint Committee on European Affairs, 2007

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Comhchoiste um Ghnóthaí Eorpacha

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2007

(Eanáir — Aibreán)

Aibreán 2007

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Joint Committee on European Affairs

ANNUAL REPORT 2007

(January — April)

April 2007

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Comhchoiste um Ghnóthaí Eorpacha

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2007

(Eanáir — Aibreán)

Aibreán 2007

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Joint Committee on European Affairs

ANNUAL REPORT 2007

(January — April)

April 2007

Annual Report 2007

Table of Contents

1. Content and Format of Report

•This report has been prepared pursuant to paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Standing Order 84, Dáil Éireann and paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Standing Order 69, Seanad Éireann which provide for the Joint Committee to—

•undertake a review of its procedure and its role generally

•prepare an annual work programme

•lay minutes of its proceedings before both Houses

•make an annual report to both Houses.

2. Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Convenors and Membership

Deputy John Deasy was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 20^th October 2004. Deputy Barry Andrews was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on 25^th November 2004. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee.

Deputies Dan Wallace and Aengus Ó Snodaigh are the Convenors of the Committee whose function it is to ensure the availability and attendance of Members or their substitutes for meetings of the Committee and, in particular, to ensure Members’ availability for divisions.

The Members of the Joint Committee are set out at Appendix 2

3. Sub-Committee on EU Scrutiny

Standing Order 81(3) (Dáil) and Standing Order 65(3) (Seanad) confer on Committees the power to appoint sub-Committees and to refer to such sub-Committees any matter covered by its orders of reference and to delegate any of its powers to such sub-Committees, including power to report directly to the Dáil and Seanad.

The Committee agreed at its meeting on 9^th July 2002 to create a sub-Committee to scrutinise EU Legislative Proposals. The European Union Scrutiny Act 2002 provides the legislative basis for Oireachtas scrutiny of EU business.

The Sub-Committee on EU Scrutiny consists of 7 Members (5 Dáil and 2 Seanad). The Orders of Reference of the Sub-Committee are set out in Appendix 1. The Members of the Sub-Committee are set out in Appendix 4.

Deputy Bernard Allen was elected as Chairman of the Sub-Committee on 4^th November 2004.

4. Meetings, Attendance and Recording

Meetings of the Joint Committee, Select Committee and Sub-Committee took place in the Committee rooms in Leinster House 2000. Meetings were in public unless otherwise ordered by the Committee.

Televised coverage of public meetings of the Committee was broadcast live within the Leinster House complex and was available for subsequent public broadcasting.

An Official Report (Parliamentary Debates) of the public meetings of the Committees is published and may be purchased from the Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. The Official Reports may also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas website at www.oireachtas.ie

Copies of other reports published by the Joint Committee may be obtained from the Clerk, Joint Committee on European Affairs, Kildare House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. A list of these reports is set out at paragraph 9.

5. Number and Duration of Meetings

The Joint Committee met on 7 occasions in the period under report. The number of hours of discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 7. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 7 below and at Appendix 3.

The Dáil Select Committee met on 2 occasions in the period under report. The number of hours of discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 3 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 7 below and at Appendix 4

The Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny met on 4 occasions during the period under report. The number of hours of discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 1 hour. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 7 below and at Appendix 7.

Minutes of proceedings of the Joint Committee and Sub-Committee meetings in public session are attached at Appendix 8, 9 and Appendix 10 respectively.

6. Work of the Committee

6.1 Joint Committee

On the 7 occasions the Joint Committee met it examined the following matters:

•Priorities of the German Presidency of the European Union

•European Union Neighbourhood Policy with a focus on the Caucasus

•Improving the European Union regulatory environment

•Slovakia and the European Union

•The European Commission’s trade relations with less developed countries

•Armenia and the European Union

•A reflection on the European Union at 50

6.2 Dail Select Committee

On the 2 occasions the Select Committee met, it dealt with the following matters:

•Consideration of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the ratification by Ireland of the Internal Agreement concerning the 10th European Development Fund

•Consideration of the European Communities Bill 2006 - Committee Stage

6.3 Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny

On the 4 occasions that it met, the Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny dealt with the following matters:

•Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals

7. Groups and Individuals attending before Committee

In the period under report the Joint Committee met with the following organisations, groups and individuals:

Foreign Ministers

•Mr. Vartan Oskanian, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia

Representatives of European Union Institutions

•Commissioner Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs

Delegations Representing National Parliaments

•Delegation from the Národná Rada Slovenskej Republiky (Parliament of Slovakia)

Representatives of Academic Institutions

•Mr. Denis Corboy, Director of the Caucasus Policy Institute, King’s College, University of London

Intergovernmental and Non-governmental Organisations

•Trade Matters (a network of Irish NGOs and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions)

Government Agencies, Statutory Bodies and other Interest Groups

•Mr. Brendan Butler, Director of EU and International Affairs, IBEC

•Mr. Arthur Forbes, Assistant Director of European Affairs, IBEC

•Mr. Terry Landers, Head of Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Ireland

•Dr. Peter Heffernan, Chief Executive Officer, Marine Institute

Ambassadors to Ireland

•His Excellency Mr. Christian Pauls, Ambassador of Germany to Ireland

•Her Excellency Mr. Paulo Castilho, Ambassador of Portugal to Ireland

•Her Excellency Mr. Mr. Franc Mikša — Ambassador of Slovenia to Ireland

The Joint Committee held informal private meetings with the following:

•His Excellency Mr. Ján Gábor — Ambassador of Slovakia to Ireland

•Mr. Vahe Gabrielyan — Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Ireland

•Professor Asher Susser, Director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Tel Aviv University (TAU) and His Excellency Dr. Zion Evrony, Ambassador of Israel to Ireland

In the period under report the Select Committee on European Affairs met with the following organisation, groups and individuals:

Government Ministers

•Mr. Conor Lenihan T.D., Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

•Mr. Noel Treacy T.D., Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

8. Joint Committee Reports

During the period under report the Joint Committee adopted the following contributions and reports:

Contributions to the EU Institutions

•Draft contribution to the Commission on the European Commission’s Action Programme for Reducing Administrative Burdens in the European Union

Reports to both Houses of the Oireachtas

•Report on Migration and Integration Policy in Ireland

Sub-Committee on EU Scrutiny - Meeting Reports

•Seventy fifth report: Report of the meeting of 30 November 2006 Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny

•Seventy sixth report: Report of the meeting of 14 December 2006 Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny

•Seventy seventh report: Report of the meeting of 24 January 2007 Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny

•Seventy eighth report: Report of the meeting of 8 February 2007 Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny

Annual Reports and Work Programme

•Work Programme (Joint Committee) 2007

•Annual Report (Joint Committee) 2006

•Fourth Annual Report on the operation of the European Union Scrutiny Act 2002 (presented by the Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny)

9. Travel

The Joint Committee undertook the following travel in accordance with its Orders of Reference and in connection with its work programme.

10. Functions and Powers

The Dáil Select Committee on European Affairs was established by Order of Dáil Éireann of 27th June 2002 to consider such Bills the statute law in respect of which is dealt with by the Department of Foreign Affairs; and such proposals contained in any motion, including any motion within the meaning of Standing Order 157 concerning the approval by the Dáil of international agreements involving a charge on public funds, as shall be referred to it by Dáil Éireann from time to time.

Under an Order of 11^th November 2002 The Dáil Select Committee was enjoined with a Select Committee of Seanad Éireann, established by Order of Seanad Éireann of 17 October 2002, to form the Joint Committee on European Affairs. The main task of the Joint Committee is to:

•scrutinise, in the context of European Union, issues and measures to be taken by the Council of Ministers of the European Union;

•consider such matters arising from Ireland’s membership of the European Communities and its adherence to the Treaty on European Union, as it may select;

•consider such—

-acts of the institutions of the European Communities,

-regulations under the European Communities Acts, 1972 to 1998

-other instruments made under statute and necessitated by the obligations of membership of the European Communities, as it may select;

•consider such other matters as may be referred to it from time to time by both Houses of the Oireachtas;

•represent both Houses of the Oireachtas at the Conference of European Affairs Committees (COSAC);

and shall report thereon to both Houses of the Oireachtas.

The Orders of Reference of the Dáil Select Committee, Joint Committee and Sub-Committee are set out at Appendix 1.

__________________________________

John Deasy T.D.

Chairman of the Joint Committee on European Affairs

April 2007