Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The point the Tánaiste made was that sectoral committees are now being provided with briefings and material to enable us to have informed debate on matters that come from the European Union that are within our competence and area of expertise. That is a useful and a most effective and efficient way to carry out scrutiny of EU matters. I agree the Seanad and the Dáil must continue to have a role. However, it is ultimately somewhat obstructive if we see every motion that has been the subject of a full debate at a committee meeting being opposed if it is laid on the Order Paper to be taken without debate. Perhaps we will be able to have a debate on these matters and we can rehash the matters we discussed yesterday with the Minister. I believe it would be good for us to decide in the House what matters we feel it is important we should have double scrutiny of, because that is what is happening here. To be fair and helpful, we need to have an agreed procedure with regard to what motions returning from committee, where there has already been scrutiny, need a second layer of scrutiny. I agree there will be motions for which that extra layer of scrutiny is required.