Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Ms Childers on behalf of the Labour Party Senators. Unlike Senator Burke, who played senior hurling in Brussels, I played on the junior team for six and a half years as a member of the committee of the regions. I have some sense of how matters in Brussels function and I respect the fact that Ms Childers outlined views that fit into a European context but not necessarily the Irish system.

I commend her on her excellent and detailed résumé of the work she has done as an MEP for the past four years. She has sometimes been outspoken and her frank commentary on the political system, as she sees it, in the European Parliament and on politics in general is refreshing.

I want to comment on her work on a new pricing system for medicines in Europe. I note from her contribution that new legislation will be passed and will come into effect some time in October, which will promote transparency in medicine pricing across Europe. Does she think this will tackle the pricing problem facing Irish people? As Senator Burke said, they can travel to mainland Europe and buy many products, such as cold and hay fever medicines, at prices that are 25 times lower than in Ireland.

Regarding this and prescription drugs, how long does Ms Childers think it will take for this legislation to be transposed into Irish law and will the Irish people see the benefit of it in the near future?

I would also like to comment on the work that is going on in Ireland regarding the consumption of tobacco products and tackling cancer. I note from the work and campaigning Ms Childers is doing in Brussels that she has an integral interest in ensuring Ireland gets the benefit from this. How effectively does Ms Childers think the work she is doing in Brussels will affect the situation in Ireland, particularly for young people and given the health problems we are storing up for the future?

In her paper today Ms Childers expressed concern about transparency being required for lobbying, and her commentary on lobbying within the pharmaceutical and tobacco industries is well noted. I ask Ms Childers to elaborate a little more on how she sees lobbying being dealt with under Irish legislation. Ms Childers referred to the fact that she made a submission to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, on the matter and it is important for us that she expand on that subject in some detail today. Deputy Howlin intends to bring in a register of lobbyists and publish legislation on that matter very soon. Could Ms Childers explain to us today how she sees that working? Does she envisage a list that includes every lobbyist in Ireland? She mentioned that 22,000 lobbyists are resident in Brussels and Strasbourg. Does she envisage that Oireachtas Members would be required to register all interactions with lobby groups on a daily or weekly basis? This should be done and I think it is workable. How feasible does Ms Childers think it is in the climate of Irish politics that we have come to understand and know over many years? Would she expect, for example, that every time a politician is lobbied - which happens from the time one leaves one's house in the morning until one goes home at night - it must be registered? Does she think this system is workable and feasible?

I welcome Ms Childers's interest in Seanad reform and her views on how the Seanad could take on a more proactive role regarding the examination of EU legislation. I find it very difficult at times to understand how EU law is transposed into Irish law for such ridiculous things as, for example, requiring an egg to be stamped and regulation on the shapes and types of vegetables we can sell. These are daft ideas that did not start in Ireland but have ended up being transposed into Irish law. What is Ms Childers's view on Ireland's being the "best boy in the class" and conforming with all EU regulations, in some cases to the detriment of our own economy?

How does Ms Childers see the role of the Seanad in bringing forward the legislation on lobbying? Does she have any comment on that? Could she expand a little more on her view that the European system of committees could be used in Ireland to better effect? Ms Childers mentioned in her contribution that there is no whip system in Europe and yet the system works very well. She was able to support 90% of the legislation that was brought through by Party of European Socialists, PES, groups in the European Parliament. How does Ms Childers think that would sit with us here in this Chamber, who are required to comply with a whip system, which Ms Childers knows can be difficult at times in the current economic climate?

I thank Ms Childers for attending today and giving us her perspective on lobbying, transparency, health and changes in the Seanad.