Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I also wish to congratulate Senator Ciaran Cannon on his election as leader of the Progressive Democrats. As someone from the west, it is a great honour for him and his family. I hope his deputy leader will also be another Member of this House, Senator Fiona O'Malley, who was runner-up in the contest.

Will the Leader arrange a debate on the accession of the European Union to the European Convention on Human Rights? At last week's April session of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, a resolution recommending that the Committee of Ministers open negotiations immediately with the European Union on the arrangements for and procedural implications of accession was accepted by 33 votes to three, with two abstentions. The main implication of the accession of the EU to the convention is that European citizens will be entitled to take the institutions of the EU to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, thus enhancing the transparency and accountability of the Union. While all member states are already parties to the convention, this important further step is required by the amended Article 6 of the Treaty on European Union. It is an aspect of the Lisbon treaty that has received little attention in this House or in the media. Statements on the Lisbon treaty will resume in this House tomorrow and this important but somewhat ignored aspect of the treaty merits a full debate.

I heard callers to RTE Radio 1 this morning express dissatisfaction at the unavailability of copies of the Lisbon reform treaty. I agree with Senator O'Toole that a text of its size and complexity cannot be explained easily in a short document. The referendum on the Lisbon treaty is the most important issue facing the Irish people. The more debates we have in this House and the greater our efforts to ensure voters are informed, the more likely we are to increase support for the treaty. Ireland, with a population of 4.2 million, has a tremendous responsibility in deciding the fate of the 500 million citizens of the EU. It is a great honour and it is up to all of us to do our best. I acknowledge that all parties are playing their part in this regard.