Alex White (Labour)

I understand what the Minister of State has said. I am inclined towards the view he takes in respect of sparse language in the Constitution and that we should not overburden it with detail. We should not leave aside the responsibility these Houses will have. We have had scrutiny legislation before and people are alive to the need to ensure proper scrutiny. However, we need to put that into terms. We need to discuss that matter perhaps after the people decide on the treaty.

My experience in another life was of dealing with the practical implications of legislation, much if not most of which in the employment field comes from Europe. There is a debate on whether there is a significant dividend for workers from being members of the European Union. There have been a number of directives in the past ten years covering fixed-term working, equality and organisation of working time, all of which found their find way into Irish law and have a profound effect on the daily lives of citizens, employees and workers. They are not of a theoretical nature. They are real and afford people rights which they can then have vindicated in Irish tribunals and courts and ultimately, if it is necessary to raise a particular issue, they can go back to the European Court of Justice. These are practical effects and advantages that people obtain as a result of our membership of the Community.

I do not want to stray too far from the proposal. I understand what the Minister of State is saying and I thank him for being prepared to engage with Deputy Costello on this and other issues. Further to what he has said, I do not propose to press the amendment.