Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together.

I will first deal with the question on EU law. Transposition and implementation of EU law is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant Departments and Ministers. My Department has a monitoring role in the timely transposition of EU legislation into Irish law, through the Interdepartmental Co-ordinating Committee on European Affairs, the ICCEUA, which is chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy Roche. The transposition of EU directives is a standing item on the work programme of that committee. Departments are required to provide regular updates on directives that are applicable to their area. The updates assist in the co-ordination and monitoring of the transposition of all EU directives, including those that are counted towards the European Commission's internal market scoreboard. The European Commission has set a 1% transposition deficit target for the internal market scoreboard for 2009.

There are no particular arrangements in place to monitor specifically or review the ongoing implementation of EU law. Instead, Irish law giving effect to EU directives and regulations forms part of the overall corpus of Irish legislation. The programme for Government contains a commitment to instigate a review of the entire economic regulatory environment and I answered questions in this House recently regarding that commitment, particularly on the administrative burden arising from regulation.

I will travel to Lisbon on Thursday, 13 December to attend the signing ceremony for the reform treaty. On Friday, 14 December, I will attend the European Council in Brussels. The agenda for the Council focuses on three areas, namely, freedom, security and justice; economic, social and environmental issues; as well as external relations. At the meeting, I will emphasise the need for the EU to lead the international response to climate change. This is especially important in light of the forthcoming United Nations conference on climate change in Bali at which the EU, supported by all member states, must approach the task with a clear focus on an effective way forward to ensure a new international agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol. As I have said to this House before, the position on holding a referendum on the reform treaty is that, while no formal decision has been taken, I expect that we will hold a referendum sometime next year, probably in the summer. I have said this to several of my European Council colleagues.

Regarding plans for official visits abroad in the period ahead, I will attend the European Council next week and those during 2008. I will also attend the EU-Africa summit in Lisbon this weekend and I will travel to Lisbon for the signing ceremony for the reform treaty, as I have already mentioned. Several other trips abroad have been confirmed for 2008. I plan to visit the Republic of South Africa in January to see at first hand Irish overseas development aid efforts. I will also lead a trade delegation to South Africa. I will attend the EU-LAC summit to be held in Peru in May. I addressed the Association of European Journalists at their conference in Dublin Castle on 10 November. A copy of my speech is available on my Department's website at www.taoiseach.gov.ie.

The main priority once the treaty is signed next month will be to engage the public and ensure that they are well informed about the treaty ahead of the planned referendum next year. The National Forum on Europe will play a leading role in facilitating public debate. The Government will engage in a thorough information campaign which will include inter alia the publication and distribution of a comprehensive White Paper on the reform treaty as well as other information materials such as leaflets.

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