Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the process of scrutinising EU legislative proposals; the effects if such proposals are not scrutinised within six weeks; the effect of the summer recess on scrutinising and implementing such proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40829/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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This Government is committed to working with the Oireachtas to ensure that EU legislative proposals are scrutinised effectively. An effective scrutiny system is central to the task of bringing EU issues closer to ordinary people. Under the terms of the EU Scrutiny Act 2002, as soon as practicable after a proposed measure is published by the European Commission, the relevant Minister should submit to the Oireachtas a copy of the text concerned along with an information note outlining the content, purpose and likely implications for Ireland of the proposed measure to the Oireachtas. Under guidelines for Departments, which were updated in January 2012 in consultation with the Oireachtas, this should be done within 20 working days of publication by the Commission.

To this end, EU Division of the Department of the Taoiseach alerts Departments of new proposals as they arise. Nearly all information notes are supplied by Departments within deadline. Where it may not be possible, perhaps due to the complexity of an issue, it is the responsibility of the lead Department concerned to notify the Oireachtas in good time of any possible delays. As EU proposals are rarely published during the month of August the summer recess should not impact unduly on the provision by Departments of information notes to the Oireachtas.

In the 31st Dáil, the Houses decided to delegate responsibility for scrutiny and detailed consideration of EU documents and related matters to the relevant Oireachtas Committee. This mainstreaming to sectoral Committees allows members with specialist knowledge of the relevant sector to apply their knowledge and expertise to scrutiny of EU legislative proposals relating to that sector. The 2002 Scrutiny Act provides that Ministers shall have regard to any recommendations made in relation to a proposed EU measure.

The scheduling for scrutiny of EU documents and information notes provided by Departments is a matter for the Oireachtas Committees themselves.