Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

Will the Leader provide time next week for a debate on the proposed EU constitution? Now that the various leaders in Europe have agreed the constitution, it will have to be formally ratified in each of the member states. The Taoiseach stated yesterday in the Dáil that it could be up to two years before a referendum on the issue is held. This House should at least debate the implications of the constitution. There is a responsibility on pro-European parties in both Houses to come together in some kind of alliance in respect of the upcoming campaign. There are many neo-nationalist and EU-sceptic forces in this country — people who want to take us out of the European Union. We must plan and work at a campaign over the next year or so. The Nice debacle occurred because pro-European parties did not put a sufficiently strong case to the people. We got a wake-up call at the time. When the referendum is announced, there will be a responsibility and onus on us all to work hard for a "Yes" vote. I ask the Leader to provide time next week for a debate on the matter.

This morning we heard from the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, who in an arrogant and dismissive way appeared to put to one side the comments of higher civil servants. Will the Leader agree that the best way to proceed on decentralisation is for an Oireachtas committee to go through the concerns of senior and other civil servants on the issue? The last time the finance committee attempted to do so, the big Government whip was taken out, people were told they could not do their job and the whole issue was put to one side. It is now the responsibility of a committee of the House to work through the genuine concerns of civil servants. We are not talking just about people's livelihoods, but their homes, children, family and roots in the community which will now be upended as a result of the arrogant and dismissive comments of the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, and others. There needs to be a wake-up call on the issue and an Oireachtas committee should be established to work with civil servants and the Government to bring about a proper form of decentralisation.