Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for their opening statements. I also thank them for the submission to our report on Ireland and the future of the European Union, which is useful and will form part of the document we hope to issue in a couple of weeks. On the three proposals put forward, in particular the third proposal that we prepare a medium-term strategy for Ireland's relationship with the European Union, I see the document being produced by the committee as being a first step in that direction. I expect the delegation would make additional submissions at future stages.

On the proposal regarding more involvement by the committee in the semester process and national reform programme, that is very useful. Last year, we met representatives of the Department of Finance to discuss the national reform programme. The committee will examine this issue further with the officials. What might be possible this time around, and if it works, next time around also, is attendance of one or two members of the delegation here today as witnesses at the meeting with the officials. We will try to ensure we include a flavour from the Committee of the Regions expressed during the semester process. It is true the semester process has only just commenced and we are in the process of ensuring it evolves into a meaningful dialogue between national parliaments and the Commission and regional representatives.

On the issue of the establishment of a forum of EU representatives, I mentioned that a number of us were in Brussels earlier this week when we met MEPs. We raised the same issue with the MEPs as the delegation has raised with us today, namely, the lack of communication on occasions. While people are free to attend these meetings it does not on occasion suit them to do so because they are either in Strasbourg or Brussels.

We are trying to find a time and it might be that we arrange a meeting every six months or every four months, which is convenient for everybody. It might have to be on a Friday or a Monday, which might not suit everybody, but if we have a limited number of such meetings it might be possible to have them here. That should be the forum for involving the witnesses. I cannot speak for the Minister, but in terms of the members of the committee, MEPs and the witnesses present, it should be possible to do something. I take Councillor O'Donoghue's point that it is something that has been suggested in the past. It needs more work. It might not happen before the European Parliament and local elections, but we should aim for it. We have noticed that since the ratification of the Lisbon treaty, national parliaments have considerable power, as do the citizens through the citizens' initiative, and we need to work together to ensure we utilise them in the national interest.