Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Hayes. All our guests made very comprehensive contributions. When the committee was in Brussels earlier this year, we had a meeting with one of the MEPs who has a specific responsibility for the Balkans region. He expressed surprise the committee was interested in the Balkans because he said no Irish MEP seemed to show any interest in it and that no Irish MEP was on the foreign affairs committee. I looked through the list of committees of which we are not members. It is not only the foreign affairs committee from which we are absent but we are also absent from the justice and home affairs committee, the women's rights and gender equality committee and the human rights committee. Will the MEPs give us their views on how we can ensure Ireland's voice is heard and that we have some representation in those types of areas in Europe?

On Monday and Tuesday, Deputy Ciarán Lynch and I attended the article 13 conference on the ongoing monitoring of the fiscal compact. It was attended by members of the national parliaments from across Europe as well as by Members of the European Parliament. What was interesting was that when it came to the discussion about the financial instruments we could use to get out of the crisis, whether eurobonds, the European redemption fund or the new PADRE system, Germany, in particular, was very much against any use of, or any expansion of instruments, which may mean additional call on German national finances. At a European level, how do the MEPs see us getting out of this crisis? How do they see the developments in regard to the renegotiation of the multi-annual financial framework going? They will remember that before their term, when it came to agreement of the multi-annual financial framework, it was agreed we would revisit this in a short number of years. What is the potential of getting more money into the system so that we kick-start growth across the economy?

In regard to working together, in the past attendance of Irish Members of the European Parliament at this committee was sporadic at best and it depended on the subject matter and the date. We changed the day of the committee meetings to a Thursday to try to accommodate MEPs, in particular Dublin MEPs, because I am sure Thursday afternoons are not a bad time for them. We would like to see better engagement for all the reasons they outlined earlier. Will they let us know what we, as a committee, can do to make it easier for them and their colleagues to attend meetings on a regular basis? Local councillors who are members of the Committee of the Regions appeared before the committee. We are trying to develop better relationships between the Committee of the Regions and the national Parliament. If we could improve our relations with MEPs, that would complete the circle. We would have European Parliament Members, national Parliament Members and local authority members speaking with each other on a regular basis, which would help to improve things. Perhaps the MEPs will comment on those issues.