Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 June 2014
141. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the legislative provisions in respect of his Department that have been passed by the Oireachtas since 2011 but have not come into effect to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24151/14]
View answerSpecific legislative provisions of Acts under my Department which have been passed by the Oireachtas since 2011 but have not yet been commenced are paragraph (iv) of Section 1 of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 2012. Paragraph (iv) of Section 1 of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 2012 will add to the definition of “treaties governing the European Union”, contained in Section 1 of the European Communities Act 1972, the Protocol on the concerns of the Irish people on the Treaty of Lisbon, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, done at Brussels on 16 May 2012. It will be commenced as soon as the Protocol has been ratified by all EU member states. At present, two member states have yet to finalise their ratification of the Protocol, the Czech Republic and Italy, although the necessary domestic procedures have been commenced. Our embassies in both countries are in regular contact with the relevant national authorities with a view to encouraging ratification as soon as possible and my Department is closely monitoring the matter.
