Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Deputy Boyd Barrett's final point is clearly incorrect. In the context of the automatic correction mechanism, the Commission is not being given a role whereby it can effectively dictate policy. What will happen will be that it will propose the common principles to which the states party to the treaty will be obliged to agree. These mechanisms are defined in a way whereby they will be agreed between the states and the Commission. I just wanted to clarify the position in this regard in the event that any doubts may have arisen. The question of the Commission telling us what we should do with natural resources, etc., is something of a red herring in the context of this debate.

I thank Deputy Catherine Murphy for tabling her amendment because it has challenged the House to address the content of the Bill. At a level of principle, when Ireland ratifies a treaty it must honour it. As a country, we have a very proud record of honouring our international obligations and long may this continue. It would be quite invidious to pass a constitutional amendment which, in effect, would state that we would ratify the treaty but which would also indicate that we were not making provision to honour it. That would be quite a dishonest approach for us to take in the conduct of international relations. I appreciate the distinction to which Deputy Catherine Murphy drew attention earlier, namely, that under the Amsterdam and Nice treaties there was not an express provision in this regard. However, the latter was because those treaties amended an existing treaty rather than being stand-alone mechanisms.

The argument to the effect that the treaty does not make provision for democratic accountability is simply not true. Article 12, for example, makes provision for a range of approaches to democratic accountability. The governance arrangements have probably not received a great deal of attention in the debate that has taken place in respect of the treaty to date. The treaty does not merely restate the rules relating to the euro, it also contains provisions in respect of the governance of the euro area. These provide, for example, for meetings of Heads of State and Government at summit level in order to discuss issues relating to the euro. Article 12 also makes provision for the involvement of the European Parliament. The treaty contains a clear democratic accountability provision under this article. In addition, Article 13 provides for the committees of national parliaments - in our case this will be the Joint Committees on European Union Affairs and Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform - to play a role in respect of the governance of the euro area and also in discussions on budgetary policy and other issues covered by the treaty.

Although this aspect has probably not received a great deal of attention to date, I would summarise by stating that the treaty actually strengthens the democratic involvement of national governments because Heads of State and Government will meet at summit level to discuss issues relating to the euro. It also makes provision for the involvement of the European Parliament and crucially - this will be of interest to the Members of this House - the committees of national parliaments.

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