Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I welcome the Tánaiste's reforming zeal in respect of our processes. Given that the committees will not be reformed until the autumn, there is an opportunity to examine their terms of reference to make them more meaningful. Until 1993 there was deep opposition to the committee I have served from the beginning, the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, and its scope remains limited. It is frequently the case that the work of this and other committees is as much influenced by the availability of a meeting room as by the subjects being discussed. Members are frequently told we must clear out of the meeting room because it is needed for another purpose. The committees are inadequately staffed and entirely neglected by the media, which regard them as less than important.

I call for a thorough review of the physical arrangements for committees, their staffing and resources, and their terms of reference. I do not wish to waste time on the Order of Business talking about the lack of accountability on foreign policy. There is no accountability in respect of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and a range of other matters arising in Europe and in this State. The Chairman of the Joint Committee on European Affairs has only a limited right of access to information that is denied to every other member of that committee and to the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. It will be a fruitful summer if consideration is given to the terms of reference, staff, resources and research facilities of the committees as well as the availability of rooms for meetings.

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