Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

Included in that group is No. 15, with regard to the approval of economic partnership agreements between the European Union and three groups of African countries. On Tuesday, 25 May 2010, I raised this issue and at the end of the discussion the Taoiseach suggested something which I am afraid was not strictly accurate:

We are asked to approve the terms of the interim agreements as soon as possible. All other member states have signed them and the European Community is anxious to implement them in order to ensure compliance with World Trade Organisation rulings.

The agreements have not yet been before the European Parliament, but this is not the most important point. At the end of the discussion the Taoiseach stated:

It is expected that this will be dealt with by the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs. We have been asked to put the agreements forward for approval.

The Taoiseach did not state by whom we were asked, and most importantly he then stated, "I can undertake that the matters can be debated in the House when they have been dealt with at committee." They have been dealt with at committee and yesterday a limited number of Deputies had a good discussion. Even the Minister of State would agree that it is in everybody's interest that a wider number of Deputies in a plenary session of the Dáil have an opportunity to discuss the African issues and the European Union and Africa relationship issues involved. There is also the question of the Parliament being involved in a vigorous sense in debating policy, particularly in the circumstances we have post-Lisbon treaty. Will the Tánaiste give an indication that the Taoiseach's words meant something and that we will debate these issues here as promised now that they have come back from committee?

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