JOINT COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN AFFAIRS debate -
Tuesday, 9 Sep 2008

Business of Joint Committee.

Chairman

The draft minutes of the meeting of 29 July have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed.

Correspondence received since the last meeting has been circulated. No. 182 is correspondence received from the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny detailing the decisions taken at its meeting of 29 July 2008. It is proposed to note it. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 183 is EU News Bulletin No. 51. It is proposed to note it. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Nos. 184 and 185 concern correspondence received — on foot of the committee's request — from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority and the Department of Finance highlighting areas the committee might consider including in its submission to the European Commission on the White Paper on the Integration of EU Mortgage Credit Markets. That is an important issue on which we spent considerable time. It is proposed to note it. We should ask the clerk to send a reminder to the remaining witnesses — Mr. Brendan Kelly from Financial Services Ireland, and Ms Emer O'Rourke from the Irish Banking Federation — and come back to this possibly on 23 September with a view to agreeing a contribution to the Commission. Is it agreed that we would seek to meet the outstanding witnesses as they are two important players in the marketplace?

Senator Feargal Quinn

Yes. We should not allow the letter from the Department of Finance on its concerns about the integration of EU mortgage credit markets to slip through. We should make sure we take that into account.

Chairman

Absolutely. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 186 is correspondence from the interparliamentary section regarding the visit of a German delegation to Ireland from 20 to 24 October 2008. It is proposed that the joint committee would meet with the delegation at 1.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 21 October 2008 prior to its normal weekly meeting at 2 p.m. The delegation is one the committee should certainly meet. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 187 is correspondence from the interparliamentary section advising that HE Mr. Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the chairman of the Parliament in Ukraine and a delegation will visit the Oireachtas from 27 to 30 October 2008. Is it agreed in principle to meet with the delegation? I presume that members would be anxious to do so.

Deputy Noel Treacy

It would be very important to do so.

Chairman

No. 188 is correspondence received via the interparliamentary section concerning upcoming joint parliamentary meetings hosted by the European Parliament and the Presidency of the European Union in 2008. Deputy Dooley is scheduled to attend one of these meetings and the other is more appropriate to the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security as it relates to energy security. We should liaise with that committee to ensure the country is represented. It would suit us if a member of that committee were to attend. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 189 is a letter from Ms Elsa Papadimitriou, President of the Committee on European Affairs and Vice President of the Hellenic Parliament, regarding Mr. Sarkozy's initiative on the Union for the Mediterranean. She is a most impressive lady who is well capable of making her case. A copy of a proposed response has been circulated. It is proposed to inform Ms Papadimitriou that the matter has been referred to the Oireachtas delegation to Euromed. There is an ongoing discussion between Euromed countries about the feeling of neglect on the part of some Mediterranean states about the inclusion of countries that are on their borders. The draft response is before the committee. We will be asked about this matter again. Is it agreed to proceed as proposed?

Senator Feargal Quinn

Yes. It was interesting yesterday that the European Union recognised Morocco with a new form of relationship that had not been established previously. I did not hear about that previously but I read about it this morning.

Chairman

At a Euromed meeting that I attended some time ago it was interesting to note that those who live on the shores of the Mediterranean view things from a slightly different perspective because of the trade possibilities with countries across the Mediterranean with countries that are very close to them. We must bear that in mind. However, at the previous COSAC meeting there was a clear indication that there would be only one European Union and while co-operation would take place and agreements would be entered into it would not be to the detriment of the existing Union. That was made quite clear by the Commissioner. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 190 is a letter from the European Parliament enclosing documents adopted by Parliament at its part-session. It is proposed to note it. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 191 is a letter from the Czech ambassador, proposing that the committee meet with Mr. Vondra.

Senator Feargal Quinn

I gather that meeting was deferred at their request.

Chairman

That is correct and it will be noted. I presume it will be taken up at a later stage.

No. 192 concerns correspondence from the Minister for Foreign Affairs acknowledging a letter sent by the Chairman regarding implications of the result of the Lisbon reform treaty referendum. Nos. 198a and 198b are related items and have been circulated separately. It is proposed to note them. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 193 concerns correspondence received from the Ceann Comhairle regarding a meeting in Brussels on 3 and 4 November of the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and the Committee on Economic Affairs, Environment and Regional Planning of the French National Assembly. We should keep a close eye on this as this committee has been involved in this issue before.

Deputy Noel Treacy

Yes, we should keep a close eye on it.

Chairman

It is intended that representatives of national parliaments attend the meeting to discuss the CAP health check, its future after 2013 and the role of European agriculture in energy security. This correspondence has been sent to the agriculture committee. The energy committee may be involved in it too but it is important that this committee notes this meeting and attends, if at all possible. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 194 concerns correspondence received by the Ceann Comhairle from the President of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus. It sets out the outstanding issues that remain to be resolved. It is proposed to note the correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 195 is correspondence received via the Ceann Comhairle from the Polish ambassador endorsing a statement from the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Polish Parliament on the situation in Georgia. It is proposed to note it. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 196 concerns an e-mail forwarding a declaration of presidents of parliaments of the Baltic states and a press statement by speakers of national parliaments of the Nordic and Baltic states on the situation in Georgia. It is proposed to note this. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 197 concerns an e-mail from Ms Anna Visser of the European Anti Poverty Network Ireland referring to ongoing EU developments to tackle fuel and energy poverty. It is proposed to note this. It is a matter that the committee may examine at a later stage. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Nos. 198a and 198b concern correspondence received from the Minister for Foreign Affairs regarding the committee’s letter on the future consideration of the Lisbon reform treaty. It is proposed to note them. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 199 concerns a courtesy copy of correspondence issued by the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny to the Taoiseach regarding European business in the Oireachtas. It is proposed to note it. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 200 concerns correspondence received from the European Parliament representation in Ireland concerning the launch of the Parliament's web-TV service. It is proposed to note it. Members are invited to the launch on Wednesday, 17 September at 6 p.m. at the Dublin offices of the European Parliament.

No. 201 concerns correspondence from the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs regarding a directive on the free movement of citizens. It is proposed to note this. The Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights has considered the directive and requested information from the line Department. It is proposed to request the committee to send a copy of this information to this committee. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The joint committee went into private session at 3.55 p.m. and adjourned at 4.10 p.m. sine die.