Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I know Commissioner Reding's views on these issues. She delivered an interesting and thoughtful speech in this area. There is an issue within the EU which is of some importance, that is, when new member states seek to join there are, rightly, various conditions to ensure that the rule of law is respected in those member states, that the courts are fully independent and that there is no Government interference with judicial independence.

Commissioner Reding's point is that these are standards we correctly impose on new applicants to the European Union and that we should not, within the Union, assume that everything is perfect within our own member states, that the Union is based on certain standards and values and that it is important that each member state protect those standards and values.

To take Hungary as an example, concerns were expressed about certain changes being made to the Hungarian Constitution which allegedly could have impacted on the independence of the Hungarian court system. I will not comment on that one way or another but Commissioner Reding intervened and produced a result. She has proposed that there be a rule of law oversight in the context of the functioning of the law within European Union countries to ensure that the principles we require of others who join are adhered to within the Union. This is central to the European Union. It is not simply an economic union but one which respects certain values and fundamental rights and the concepts of freedom and justice. I support the approach that Commissioner Reding has taken. She has created a very important and useful debate in this area, which has made all of us within the Union, who can easily be critical of others, look inside our own cupboard and examine whether everything we do is done in a manner that upholds fully the values that we urge on others.