Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I am delighted with the delegation of scrutiny of EU legislation to this House. The Minister of State has a busy portfolio and the situation is tense in Europe currently. She chaired a group and prepared a paper on the Lisbon treaty. She put a tremendous amount of work into it. The Cathaoirleach will be involved in the Seanad Committee on Procedure and Privileges. The key legislation will be dealt with by the sectoral committees but there is a need for backup from the committee system - for example the Joint Committee on European Affairs could come to the House in support of the legislation. That would be one way of dealing with it rather than duplicating the work. The Joint Committee on European Affairs has its own role but it has not dealt with any legislation unlike what happened previously. It would be a tremendous role for the Seanad. Under the Lisbon treaty it was specifically intended that parliaments would have an increased role.

I am open to correction but I understand a sectoral committee cannot refer or reject-----