3 Apr 2012, 18:10
The newly established Oireachtas Sub-Committee on the EU Fiscal Treaty today engaged in meetings with Irish MEPs, the Chairman of the House of Commons EU Scrutiny Committee and Ambassadors from other EU Member States.
The Sub-Committee engaged with Bill Cash MP, Chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee of the House of Commons and Irish MEPs Nessa Childers, Marian Harkin, Paul Murphy and Phil Prendergast.
Earlier in the day, Ambassador of the Czech Republic, Dr Tomas Kafka, Ambassador of Denmark, Neils Pultz, Ambassador of Greece, Diana Zagorianou-Prifti and Ambassador of Poland, Marcin Nawrot addressed the Sub-Committee.
Committee Chairman Dominic Hannigan TD says: “Today’s meetings were a valuable opportunity to for the Committee to explore the views of diverse voices on the Treaty.
“Irish MEPs, from a wide geographic spread and representing Labour Party, Socialist and Independent positions, discussed the implications of the Treaty for Ireland. Three of the four MEPs - Nessa Childers, Marian Harkin and Phil Prendergast - said that they would vote in favour of the Treaty, some of them reluctantly, while Socialist Party MEP Paul Murphy argued for a No vote.
“Also this afternoon, Eurosceptic MP Bill Cash, who chairs the European Scrutiny Committee in the House of Commons, outlined a report prepared by his committee which questions the legality of the Treaty.
“Conscious that the Irish vote will be followed closely Europe-wide, a session with Ambassadors of other Member States kicked off an intensive period of debate for the Committee. Each of the Ambassadors spoke on the Treaty from the perspective on their respective governments.
“All the views put forward today will inform a Sub-Committee report to be published in advance of referendum day on Thursday 31 May.”
View video reaction to the day’s debates from Committee Members:
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The pros and cons of the Treaty are being considered in eight sessions this week. View programme.
ENDS
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Houses of the Oireachtas,
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Dublin 2
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Sub-Committee Membership
Deputies
Dominic Hannigan, TD (Chairman)
Paschal Donohoe, TD (Vice-Chairman)
Timmy Dooley, TD
Bernard J Durkan, TD
Colm Keaveney, TD
Seán Kyne, TD
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, TD
Joe O’Reilly, TD
Mick Wallace, TD
Senators
Colm Burke,
Fidelma Healy Eames,
James Heffernan,
Terry Leyden,
Kathryn Reilly