Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I too congratulate and compliment the Seanad on what is a novel arrangement, which is unique in Europe. It represents a great use of this Chamber and, as Senator O'Toole has said, is an excellent way of interlinking the various democratic strands.

I am pleased to take this opportunity to involve myself in the discussions today. I am happy to recognise on behalf of the Government the importance of the contribution of the European Parliament to the European constitutional treaty and to the convention that formed it. In particular I compliment the work of the Irish MEPs in that regard. The European Parliament played a major role in the negotiation of the European constitutional treaty through the participation of its Members in the Convention on the Future of Europe and through its continuing involvement in the subsequent Intergovernmental Conference.

One of the features of the European constitution is the way it will strengthen the European Parliament's legislative and budgetary functions making it in most areas a co-equal legislator with the Council of Ministers. Moreover, the resolution on the constitution, which was adopted by the Parliament earlier this year and recently published in all our national newspapers, is a lucid and forceful statement of the case for the constitutional treaty. It was resoundingly endorsed by the majority of MEPs from across the political spectrum and from all sections and parts of Europe. This was an authoritative and credible statement from a wide and diverse range of democratically elected public representatives.