Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I have been reasonable all along in trying to engage with other political parties. We have been criticised for not engaging. The whole purpose of the Oireachtas sub-committee was for the political parties in the House to engage. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Labour Party, the Green Party, Sinn Féin and the Independents had representatives. I take it that they were not acting unilaterally from their parties' perspectives or positions. They engaged with each other to try to put forward a perspective on Ireland in the European Union. To suggest there has been no engagement since the referendum between the political parties is wrong. The purpose of the Oireachtas sub-committee was to facilitate active engagement between the political parties with civil society and a variety of interest groups to try to identify key issues for Ireland and the European Union. It is wrong and unfair to suggest there has been no engagement between political parties. There has been more engagement between political parties on the European Union in recent months in the House than ever before.

The leadership of all parties picked the members of the sub-committee. I presume discussions took place between the members of the sub-committee and the members and leaders of their parties on the positions adopted and perspectives on the European Union. I am mystified by Deputy Kenny's suggestion that there has been no contact. The whole Oireachtas sub-committee was about contact. It was about the political parties collectively trying to work through a process and formulate ideas and perspectives on the European Union for the future based on the submissions made and the hearings the sub-committee held.

The report will help us all to find a way forward in a way that respects the will of the people and addresses concerns that arose during the Lisbon treaty referendum debate. I thank the Chairman, Senator Donohoe; the Vice Chairman, Deputy Dooley, and members of the sub-committee for the effort, commitment and vision they have demonstrated in carrying out this vital work. They worked very hard in a very tight timeframe. It is an excellent report. It is the product of extensive consultations with leading voices in the national and international debate on the future of the European Union. To the sub-committee's credit, its insights have been developed in a very short timeframe and they command the support of the largest political parties in the State. It has situated its findings in the political reality that other member states continue to have a strong desire to see the Lisbon treaty enter into force at the earliest possible date. This desire has intensified in the wake of recent political and economic developments, most notably the unprecedented global financial crisis. These troubling events will serve again to bring home the centrality of the European Union in enabling Europeans to cope satisfactorily with the many challenges that confront today's world.

The report is written in clear, accessible language. This is important because it is high time the debate on European Union matters in Ireland and across the Union took place in a language with which people can relate. This is not a question of removing technical jargon. It is a far more fundamental issue of building understanding, awareness and trust. The report correctly recognises that Ireland's ability to defend our interests at European Union level has been affected by the result of the referendum in June and that serious long-term damage will be done if we fail to find a way forward. We have a continuing need to be part of a successful and effective Union that can promote peace and prosperity across Europe in the years and decades ahead, just as it has so very successfully done for Ireland in the past 35 years.

I am delighted there was a focus on solutions in the report's findings. I agree that at national level we have work to do to improve how we handle European Union decisions and laws. While greater accountability for EU affairs in the Dáil and Seanad should increase public engagement, in the longer term we need to make a better effort to provide information on the European Union for our children in schools and the public. What was evident from the research we carried out after the referendum was not just that many knew very little about the content of the Treaty of Lisbon, but that they also knew very little about the operation of the Union. Tackling this deficit is more than a question of providing information; it is about enhancing the acceptability and the democratic legitimacy of what is done at Union level.

The European Union has a proud history of bringing its member states together in a shared venture designed to serve the interests of the people of Europe. It is in this spirit that the partners are approaching the Lisbon treaty. It has faced problems of this nature before and always overcome them. That must be our determined aim again on this occasion. No Irish interest would be served by our becoming detached and isolated from our European partners. As the sub-committee has made clear, our future is best served by retaining a strong commitment to the ideals and objectives of the European Union which have served us so well these past 35 years. We have a real interest in pursuing reform of the European Union's institutions in order that Ireland can continue to harness the enormous potential of the Union throughout the 21st century. It is important to realise that the Lisbon treaty is viewed across the Union as an essential component of its capacity to deal with current and future challenges.

I have held meetings with a great many of my European counterparts in the last few weeks and found a great appreciation and understanding of Ireland and a real wish to respect the democratic choice made by the people last June. The Government is working on the basis of this goodwill to find a solution which will enable us to move forward with our EU partners in an agreed manner. Contrary to what Deputy Kenny said, all of the issues are not agreed. I was surprised by his mentioning this. For example, there are diverging views on the composition of the Commission. There were diverging views leading into the Lisbon treaty and there still are. What we are seeking is something that is not automatic, as has been suggested. As I said publicly yesterday, these are issues that will go to the wire at the end of the week.

To return to the point made by Deputy Costello, I said at the Joint Committee on European Affairs that the Government was in a negotiating position with 26 other member states. The idea of talking out the negotiating process here, two days in advance, when we have to seek agreement with 26 other countries is a little unrealistic. The Oireachtas has never tied the hands of any democratically elected Government in its negotiating positions with other states. We know the broad parameters and the sub-committee has identified them also. We are in a negotiating position and nothing has yet been agreed. The negotiations will take place on Thursday and Friday and we must have due respect for the positions of the other 26 member states. I mean no disrespect to any person or party in the House; it is realpolitik, which we should acknowledge. We are seeking an agreement that will accommodate both the democratically expressed will of the people and the deeply held wish of our fellow member states to implement the reforms incorporated in the Lisbon treaty.

I have followed with great interest the public and media reaction to the work of the sub-committee and the publication of its report. Its conclusions and recommendations represent an important input into our national approach to the challenges posed by the June referendum result. Since the results of the Millward Brown research were made available last September, I have been considering ways in which we can improve on how we communicate European Union affairs. This includes working with the European Commission and the European Parliament on a joint memorandum of understanding which will enable us to work together on this important area. I have also been considering how the Government can use its resources to deliver more effective and strategic communications on European issues. It is clear from our research that Irish people remain very positive towards the European Union, but that poor communication and a difficulty in accessing clear, accurate information can create barriers to understanding how it actually works and what it does to advance our interests and collective well-being.

With regard to the findings of the report on the role of the Oireachtas in European Union affairs and the Oireachtas scrutiny system, I welcome the renewed attention being paid to accountability in EU decision making. The 13 recommendations contained in the report are imaginative and wide-ranging, particularly with regard to the introduction of a formal scrutiny reserve system. There are constitutional, legal and resource implications to many of the recommendations which will require careful consideration by the Government. Nevertheless, I indicate our openness to the report's recommendations which deserve very serious attention.

The Taoiseach has given a clear overview——

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