Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 379: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to implement the recommendations of the report published by a sub-committee of the European affairs and European scrutiny committees in so far as they relate to his role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32328/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Lisbon Treaty provided for the strengthening of the role of national parliaments, as set out in Article 12 of the Treaty on European Union and in Protocols No 1 and 2 appended to the Treaty. This was part of the significant measures contained in the Treaty to enhance the democratic legitimacy of the Union. Last year I introduced to this House legislation which gave effect to a number of these provisions and the European Union Act 2009 was duly enacted by the Oireachtas last October. The Joint Sub-Committee has since then elaborated further recommendations to give full effect to the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty in this area. I want to thank the members of the Joint Sub-Committee for the commitment and seriousness which they brought to their work in drawing up a report that will make a valuable contribution to enhancing the role of the Oireachtas in European Affairs.

I was pleased to have the opportunity to appear before the Sub-Committee on 19th May last and I believe that we had a useful exchange of views. The Sub-Committee's report puts forward a range of interesting suggestions for changes and improvements. I understand that the report is now the subject of a motion before both Houses and it would not be appropriate for me therefore to comment further on its content at this stage.