Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I support Senator Regan's call for a rolling debate on Ireland's role within the European Union. I refer in particular to the EU directive on turbary rights, which emerged as an issue during the election campaign. This was introduced ten years ago and a derogation was put in place, but circumstances have changed. Oil prices continue to increase but there is no suggestion that the Arabs should be told to cease extracting oil from their oil fields. Turf can be extracted economically. People are upset that their rights to extract turf, which go back for centuries, cannot be utilised because of the EU. Nothing is set in stone and all policies can be reviewed.

Commissioners should be invited to partake in debates in this House on issues relevant to their remits. There is no point in the Minister attending if he or she can only operate on the basis of assurances from Commissioners in policy areas such as defence. I am confident the EU has woken up to Ireland's concerns and would respond favourably to a request by the Leader for Commissioners to attend the House to go through the areas of policy which caused serious concern to members of the electorate as they made their decisions on 12 June last. I agree fully with Senator Regan in this regard and I ask him and the other leaders to work together to avail of the tremendous opportunity we have to become the first Houses of Parliament in Europe to host regular visits from Commissioners. The President of the European Parliament has already come here. Commissioners should be invited to attend debates on those specific policy areas which we identify as the main cause of concern for voters in the referendum campaign.

I thought Senator Regan might have taken the opportunity on the Order of Business to comment on yesterday's proceedings at the Mahon tribunal. It was wonderful to hear evidence which exonerated the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern.