John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

I, too, welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Roche. It is useful that we have had Proinsias De Rossa and the Minister of State here and that Deputy John Bruton will address us next week. Perhaps they will take a message from this in regard to the role of national parliaments. Previously I would have said the Finns were well ahead of us in regard to how they handled European affairs. That was probably true several years ago but not any longer. We have caught up.

Much of the criticism in the press in regard to Ireland taking its eye off the ball is misdirected, glib and superficial and lacks understanding of the work done by the Minister of State, our delegates and the alternates. It is not readily appreciated that all of those involved have come back and informed the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs, the Forum on Europe and the House of what is happening. We are probably better informed than any other parliamentary assembly in the Union.