Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Neither do I agree with what the Deputy said about the Minister, Deputy Gormley, who has been keeping closely abreast of this issue on an ongoing basis for obvious reasons, both in terms of his ministerial capacity and his interest in this area over many years.

As regards our nominee for the position of Irish European Commissioner-designate, it is open to the House to examine what arrangements it should have to invite representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers to attend Oireachtas committees. Now that we have passed the Lisbon Treaty, it would ensure that people could see what benefits it brings, how we can improve the whole political narrative of Europe and how it interacts with our domestic politics. That is an issue for this House to consider urgently. I am favourably disposed to examining the ways we can assist in that matter. It is not just a question of the Irish nominee. When the Commission is chosen and approved, it will be a matter for all national parliaments to determine how to have structured dialogue therewith so as to keep up to date and ensure that the Commission will be able to hear national parliamentary perspectives on an ongoing basis.

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