Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I will not detain the House because I understand the need to expedite this legislation but I want to make a number of points. I am delighted to see the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, back with us again to discuss this legislation which has the potential, if we get it right, to be important for two reasons. First, it connects us with the decision-making process in Europe which, sadly, has been missing for many years and, second, it connects the public also with the decision-making process in Brussels. If we get this right, we will have done a very good day's work in terms of implementing this legislation to ensure there is proper scrutiny of all the decisions that come out of Europe.

For too long we have blamed the European Union for problems that are of our own making. It is easy to blame the foreigner or people we do not meet on a daily basis. When decisions go wrong for Ireland, we frequently blame nameless bureaucrats or a commission. The hapless Commissioner ends up on a Sunday radio programme trying to defend the decision. However, Ministers – of all Governments – frequently go to Brussels and come back with a very good result. The Minister then beats his chest and claims that this was a result of his intervention. The truth of the matter is that many officials of many countries come together to arrive at a good result for our country. By having this legislation in place and ensuring that the decision-making process is properly scrutinised we will arrive at a better decision for all concerned.

I understand that the Minister would like to reply and I welcome that. I agree totally with Senator Daly's remarks about the report mechanism in this legislation. Far too many reports from Government Departments are not read. The Minister, as a former chairman of the SMI committee, knows this as we made this comment continually. We are sick of reports which are never read by the public or by politicians and take up a huge amount of money and time for civil servants. This is something that needs to be considered.

When a decision comes before the Houses of the Oireachtas, it is a matter for each House to determine which committee looks at it. It would be wrong for the Committee on European Affairs to have absolute power to decide which committee investigates the decision-making process with the Minister. It should be placed here on the Order of Business and it should then go automatically to the committees, not necessarily to the Committee on European Affairs. It should be in the power of each House to devolve to the relevant committee each article or decision that comes before it.