Maurice Hayes (Independent)

As chairman of the National Forum on Europe, I pay tribute to all the parties for having readily accepted the points made in the first report of the forum regarding scrutiny in the Oireachtas of European business. It is important that we pass the Bill today and do not wait to improve it, as many think it could be improved, to ensure this term's business can proceed. Like Senator Quinn, I hope we regard it as a beginning rather than a closed chapter. For that reason, I am glad to see the Bill provides a clause for its revision whereby we can examine at the end of the year how it has worked. It needs to be widened and deepened and when we consider the reform of the Seanad I hope we will see how the Seanad might play a much richer and fuller role, not only in the scrutiny of business but also in pre-Green Paper broad thematic discussions.On the detail of the Bill, when Ministers have used the urgent procedure or the confidential procedure and supplied information as they think fit, it would be helpful if that information were to include a statement of the reasons it was deemed proper on that occasion to use that procedure. I fully accept the need for flexibility and confidentiality and – I hate to say it – for a rapid response on these things.

This Bill if fully implemented it will put great strain on the committees and the resources of the Houses. Unless the committees are properly serviced and the resources are put into research and back them up, it will not be possible to do this. In the Bill and the supporting paper, there is no reference to cost, but I hope that will not be overlooked. In terms of the general administration of the Houses, sufficient resources need to be put in to enable all these committees to carry out new, onerous and, for many of us, innovative duties. Having said that, I welcome the Bill and congratulate the Labour Party on having introduced it.

On behalf of the forum, I am grateful to all the Members for accepting at least the spirit of the recommendation and trying to give it flesh.