Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

The Commission statement regarding the directive is yet another example of somebody, somewhere in the EU, deciding that he or she wishes to interfere in the domestic politics of this country in an adverse fashion, just as they did to an extraordinary degree during the debate on the Treaty of Nice, when Romano Prodi came to Ireland, more or less lecturing us on what we should do. If the EU Commission and those who support the European ideal are anxious to ensure that the constitutional treaty is passed in this country, they are certainly going about it in a very strange way.

There is no question whatsoever in my mind that, irrespective of what has been in the media and the points made this morning, the EU has no competence in this area, and it certainly cannot override a decision taken by the sovereign people of this country. I urge the Leader to listen to what has been said this morning. This House has regularly trumpeted itself as the most obvious location for debates on Europe, and there has not really been an ongoing discussion on that issue, something I now consider vital in the run-up to the debate on the constitutional treaty.

I believe that the Leader fully supports that view. I know that she must deal with Ministers regarding various issues with a European dimension. However, I urge her to ensure, in accordance with the sentiment of this House on all sides, that it be used henceforth in a much more proactive fashion to inform the people of this country about the constitutional treaty, which runs to almost 500 pages. It is a very complex document but is being portrayed as a simple housekeeping exercise.