JOINT COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN AFFAIRS debate -
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2007

Business of Joint Committee.

Chairman

I thank my colleague Deputy Timmins for nominating me and Deputy Costello for seconding the nomination. I welcome members to the joint committee. Many of them have served with distinction on various committees and, no doubt, will continue to do so. It is a great honour for me to be appointed and selected as Chairman of the committee which will have a major role to play in the next few years. I hope that, with the co-operation of all members, we will play that role to the full. I expect we will be very busy and that both this committee and the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny will complement each other. I hope we will do a good job, in keeping with requirements.

Later today we will draw up a programme of work which will incorporate what is required and keep us all fully occupied. I can only promise members a busy time that will not be boring or repetitious. I look forward to receiving their full support. Neither I nor the Vice Chairman will be found wanting.

Deputy Timmy Dooley

I congratulate the Chairman on his appointment and thank Deputy O'Rourke and Senator Leyden for proposing and seconding me as Vice Chairman of this important committee. We will work with the Chairman in every way possible to deal with the duties of the joint committee as efficiently as possible. I look forward to working with all its members.

Senator Terry Leyden

I congratulate the Chairman and Vice Chairman. This committee will be vitally important in the light of the proposed referendum on the reformed European treaty. It will play a vital role in ensuring the success of the referendum. We have a responsibility to work with the Government in that regard and I know the Chairman is committed to doing so. With regard to the arrangement of meetings, Tuesday is an ideal day for this committee to meet.

Deputy Billy Timmins

I wish the Chairman and Vice Chairman well. We will certainly co-operate with them in every way we can.

Senator Feargal Quinn

I congratulate both the Chairman and Vice Chairman on their appointments and wish them the best of good fortune in facing the challenges ahead.

Senator Leyden referred to the challenge facing us on the reform treaty. We have a duty and responsibility to defend Ireland's position in this regard. It is great that such matters will be in the hands of those whom we have just elected as Chairman and Vice Chairman.

Deputy Joe Costello

I echo the congratulations offered to the Chairman and Deputy Dooley on his election as Vice Chairman. I agree that probably the most important issue we will face in the next four and a half years is that of the reform treaty. As the only country in which a referendum will be held within the next eight or nine months, it is one that will face us immediately. This committee has a major role to play in that regard.

Deputy Noel Treacy

I congratulate the Chairman and Vice Chairman on their appointments. In recent years I was pleased to serve this important committee as a Minister of State. The European Union is very important to us. It is 50 years since the Treaty of Rome was signed and almost 35 since we joined the EEC. With the reform treaty lying ahead, this committee has a critically important role to play. I wish it well and look forward to participating in its deliberations.

Chairman

That concludes the formal part of our programme of business. We will continue in private session to work out our housekeeping arrangements, consider the work programme and all other aspects of the committee's functions.

The joint committee went into private session at 2.15 p.m. and adjourned at 2.40 p.m. sine die.