I refer to the issue of support and research services. These difficulties are experienced mainly by Members of this House and Opposition parties in the Dáil. As Labour Party spokesperson on finance in the Lower House, I had to address party issues and legislation and policy matters. However, I also dealt with European issues. As a result, I met Ministers who were members of the social democratic and socialist parties in the European Parliament prior to ECOFIN meetings. If the Department of Finance had not kindly provided briefings for me, because officials were concerned about what I might say otherwise, I would have been completely out of my depth. Nothing within the structure of the Houses prepares Members for that level of engagement. Ministers are accompanied to ECOFIN meetings by a range of officials briefed on their different areas of expertise, whereas I swam in deep water without specialist knowledge or backup.