Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

First, can I disappoint Mr. Cooney by stating that my PA did not get an opportunity to get to the computer to download his contribution? In a sense, I will be speaking on the basis of the little bit of research I did on this huge tome.

As a public representative, I welcome this opportunity to engage with Mr. Cooney's eight officials around these important issues of concern to Europe and to the world in general. To touch on the last point raised by the previous speaker on oversight, there is a debate ongoing about the Seanad and we have had a debate here. We also have had a debate at the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs. To follow through on Deputy Durkan's position, is the Department happy, given the existing political structures of multi-seat constituencies and the demands on the time of backbenchers, that we have an opportunity to seriously and assiduously study our obligation under section 2(5) of the European Union (Scrutiny) Act 2002 to look at the draft EU legislative proposals on foreign policy? These impose considerable responsibilities on any elected public representative to study the EU proposals. We as a nation are not managing and, equally, other member states are not managing to do this. I seek Mr. Cooney's opinion on that observation, which has been made previously by witnesses here.

Having studied some of the aspects of the report on which I congratulate Mr. Cooney for its comprehensive nature, he might explain how matters are developing around the common European asylum system. Mr. Cooney will be aware that we are being criticised increasingly about the direct provision allowance system. I am dealing with asylum seekers or persons looking for residency here who have been in direct provision for over eight years. Not only are they in direct provision for over eight years but they are rearing new families within these-----