Vol. 413 No. 9
6 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach whether his Department have appointed a person or a committee to monitor the progress of relevant draft EC Directives or the impact at domestic level of such draft directives; whether such a person or committee publishes reports on an annual basis; if such reports will be laid in the Library of the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
As it is part of the normal business of each Department to monitor, through the Permanent Representation in Brussels or otherwise, the progress of relevant draft EC Directives through the Community's institutional machinery and to assess their potential impact in Ireland, it is not necessary to appoint any single person or committee to undertake such tasks. Indeed, it is normal practice for Departments to service the Council working groups at which proposed EC legislation is examined.
Reports relating to such examination are made from time to time either orally or in writing. If the reports are in writing, they are internal documents of Departments and it is not proposed to place them in the Oireachtas Library. Many Departments, of course, have sections responsible, under their Ministers, for the co-ordination of their EC work.
I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. Does he accept that my question is a manifestation of the increasing democratic deficit between laws which are formulated in secret in Brussels and are introduced here unannounced through regulation or sometimes through legislation in this House? If one were to ask elected Members who are accountable to the citizens of this Republic, what Directives are in draft form or final draft form in any area of competence the Community now possess they would not be able to say. The proposed schedule of legislation is circulated but there is no where in his House one can find a schedule of draft directives which will affect the lives of Irish citizens. Is it not time we had in every Department a person with exclusive and unique responsibility, among whatever other task they may have, to be able to quote to any citizen what laws are proposed and how they are progressing.
We can do that in every Department at present. I am surprised the Deputy is suggesting that there is any sort of obscurity about this matter. Brussels is probably one of the most open places on the face of the earth.
My problem is with here.
The Departments certainly have continuing access to the work which is going on on draft documents, draft directives and instruments. The information is certainly available in Departments and I am sure it would be possible to ensure it is made available to anybody making inquiries.
I thank the Taoiseach for his reply but I wish to inform him that if an ordinary citizen or a Member of this House makes inquiries of any of the line Departments who deal on a regular basis with Brussels and contacts the information officer of that Department he will not be able to say that X or Y is dealing with the matter.
A question, please.
Is the Taoiseach aware that on occasions the official will suggest that the person making the inquiry should make a long distance call to Brussels? That is not a criticism of the process; it is an observation of the current system.
The Deputy is embarking upon a speech.
Does the Taoiseach consider it necessary, in order to maintain the standard of democracy, that such a person should have that responsibility?
The practice and standard of responsiveness varies from Department to Department. There is absolutely no reason why any Department should not be totally forthcoming and informative about the state of any draft directive. This is something I will look into.
I wish to make a further point because I think the Taoiseach needs to be made aware of this. When elected Members of this House contact a Department they are informed that Mr. X or Miss Y is handling the matter but when they subsequently contact that person they are informed, for example the Department of Justice, that on the instructions of the Minister of the day no official is allowed to deal with a mere Member of the Oireachtas and that all inquiries have to be rechannelled through the Minister's office. The Minister's office does not know what is going on in Brussels.
This is tending towards debate.
I am asking the Taoiseach if he is aware that that is the situation because from his reply I do not think he is so aware.
I know the Departments have different ways of handling queries. We have dealt with this matter here before. A number of Ministers like to have Deputies' queries channelled through their office simply in order to be able to give a better service.
If the Taoiseach believes that he will believe anything.
Ministers rightly like to afford special consideration and courtesy to Deputies' queries. The practice varies from Department to Department. For example, it would be impossible in the Department of Agriculture and Food to channel all queries through the Ministert's office because of the far flung nature of that Department. In so far as EC Directives are concerned, I see no reason why information officers should not be able to reply immediately to queries about directive and draft directives or, alternatively, undertake to have the information made available.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that, apart from monitoring progress of relevant draft Directives here, there is also some merit in monitoring whether or not other member countries are complying with the draft Directives? For example, the Taoiseach will be aware that in January of this year the EC draft Directive in relation to the mutual recognition of proficient qualifications was signed by this country and has not been signed by a number of other countries and that this is of vital importance to graduates in this country.
The Deputy is bringing in some extraneous matter now.
The Deputy is now talking about Directives which have been passed.
