Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

At the risk of setting loose another hare, I wish to comment on the dissemination of information, a matter on which I have a strong view given the events of last week. EU members states are covered under subsection (2), but there is no mention of the EU institutions, namely the European Parliament or the Commission. I have been conscious of this issue for a while but it became more pronounced during the referendum campaign that there is a dearth of information in this regard, which is leading in part to the disconnect between citizens and the EU institutions.

It is not good enough for the national broadcaster to broadcast occasionally, perhaps once a month when the European Parliament is sitting, a half hour programme on its proceedings very late at night. That does not convey what is happening in the EU to the public at large. The conveying of such information should be part of the remit of the broadcaster to ensure that people are kept very au fait with what is happening within all the institutions to address this sense of a disconnect. More than that is needed, but this would be an important component of addressing it. If this is not reflected elsewhere in the Bill, this point might be considered between now and Report Stage to ascertain if its the view of the Department and of the Minister that there is some justification in the point I am making. Perhaps it should be reflected somewhere in the legislative framework.