asked the Taoiseach if he will give details of his Government's proposals to ensure a closer relationship between Ireland's MEPs and Dáil Éireann.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Closer Relationship between MEPs and Dáil Éireann.
3.
The matter is being considered.
A Cheann Comhairle, the Taoiseach obviously took your request for brevity to heart. Does the Taoiseach accept that there is a necessity to give MEPs a facility of reporting back to the Dáil, given that 14 per cent of our 15 MEPs do not have any such facility?
There is a fairly widespread wish throughout the Community that there should be more communication between the European Parliament and national Parliaments. We are considering that matter.
Given that the terms of reference of the last Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Secondary Legislation of the European Communities included an examination of this whole question, will the Government consider bringing forward amended terms of reference for this committee when it is set up, to permit the attendance of MEPs at the actual committee meetings?
That is certainly worth consideration, but we would like to proceed on the basis of agreement between the parties.
May I suggest to the Taoiseach and the Government that they consider the idea of members elected to the European Parliament being given the right of audience in this Parliament, naturally without the right to vote, and that at least one day a month be set aside to discuss matters which relate to and arise from European Parliament activities which have a direct bearing on what goes on in this House and on which there is very little communication at present, or indeed in the past? That is not a new thing. There is no such communication. This is a thought which I have expressed to the Taoiseach privately in the past: that there should be ex officio membership of the Dáil for elected members of the European Parliament and, going one step further, that Members of this House should be ex officio members of all the local authorities within their own constituencies without having to stand for election in order that there may be proper liaison.
I suppose the question of reciprocity might arise. Would the European Parliament gives us the right of audience over there?
Certainly, if you were elected.
Let us have a reply to Question No. 4, please.
The Taoiseach will have it for the next six months.