Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Nolan and note in respect of her last remarks that we had a bi-lateral with Vice-President Timmermans last month when we outlined our views on how to improve the role of national parliaments. Next week, we will be in Riga for the Latvian COSAC chairs' meeting. I understand Vice-President Timmermans will be there and I have no doubt that we will be talking further about how national parliaments can improve their role through, for instance, the yellow card.

I thank Ms Nolan for her presentation and note that I am delighted to see that there has been a rationalisation of the new initiatives. Five years ago, the Commission was looking at more than 300 new initiatives every year, three years ago it was down to 150 and now we are down to 23. The main thing is to ensure that the project management that is put in place and the monitoring of the 23 initiatives are good enough to ensure that we get outcomes from them. I will focus on two in particular, the first being the €315 billion investment package. One of the things that has been discussed around Europe is whether the investment will be considered to be outside the limits of the fiscal compact treaty. Some countries, including ours, are keen to see any investment treated as being outside the limits, but there are others, particularly in northern Europe, that are less keen on that idea. It will require agreement from across the European capitals. Can Ms Nolan tell us how those negotiations are going across Europe and can we expect in her view to see the investment treated as being outside the fiscal compact limits?

The second issue I raise is the Commission's initiative on the aviation package and aviation policy. How does Ms Nolan see the issue of connectivity feeding into that package, particularly for peripheral countries such as ours? Does she see connectivity as having a vital part to play to ensure that small countries at the edge of Europe are totally connected, not just to other European capitals but to the world at large? Many of us here share concerns about the proposed sale of Aer Lingus and the impact it might have not just on the ability of Irish people to travel to other European countries but also on our ability to attract foreign direct investment. We are also concerned about the impact it might have on jobs. Ms Nolan's ideas on what that package will involve and the consideration that will be given to peripheral countries are sought.

I welcome our guests from the European Parliament, from each of whom we will be hearing in turn in the next stage of the meeting. For the moment, I will take quick questions from Dáil or Seanad Members.