Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans he has to act upon the recommendations made by the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny for a more central role for EU affairs in the daily business of Dáil and Seanad Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24910/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In the Dáil debate on June 4th last, the Government welcomed the special report by the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny on the enhanced role for national parliaments provided for in the Lisbon Reform Treaty. The Joint Committee is to be congratulated on the quality of its report. The report clearly identified the need to establish EU business as part of the regular routine of both Houses of the Oireachtas. I fully support that objective. Following last week's day-long debate in this House, the Government will be undertaking a detailed analysis of the outcome of the Referendum and its implications. I expect that the Houses of the Oireachtas and the relevant Joint Committees will have an important role to play in exploring the various issues that arose during the referendum campaign.