Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

It highlights the irrelevance of this House to promised legislation in terms of a European Union treaty. We have been asking for months for details of the Government's proposals for this treaty and for its position on a new EU treaty. The Government has committed itself to a European Union treaty, a draft copy of which has now been leaked. The Taoiseach must have access to the detail of this. It seems to have been drafted to avoid a constitutional amendment so I ask the Taoiseach when he proposes to bring this legislation before the House.

Will the Taoiseach give an indication to the House if he has had legal advice at his disposal that would indicate the need for a constitutional referendum? Will he publish a Green Paper or White Paper on this treaty and the degree to which he will involve the Dáil or a committee in a detailed discussion of the options facing the country and the detail of the treaty? It is not good enough that we would find a fundamental issue like this online. We need more proactive openness about this sort of legislation emanating from Europe than we are getting.

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