New arrangements will give Committees greater say in European legislation - Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht

Under their terms of reference Oireachtas Committees will play a key role in ensuring that EU legislation, proposals and policies are properly scrutinised and examined and will engage with Irish MEPs who are now entitled to attend meetings of all Oireachtas Committees.

Committee Chairman Ciarán Lynch, TD said: “A major benefit of this approach is that EU matters will now be considered by the Committee with expertise in the particular policy area. Committees will consider relevant draft legislation published by the EU Commission. They will then decide which proposals to scrutinise in greater detail and can seek the opinions of relevant stakeholders. Around half of the legislation enacted in Ireland originates from the EU, so it is only right that this legislation is rigorously examined and Committees are in a unique position to carry out this role.”

In advance of EU Council meetings Ministers will also be invited to brief the Committee on the forthcoming agenda and on the outcome of the previous meeting.

Deputy Lynch said: “In the past most Ministers attending meetings of the Council of Ministers were not held directly accountable to the Oireachtas. Oireachtas Committees will have an opportunity to consider the Government’s approach to the items for discussion and to make known their views in advance of the Minister’s participation in Council meetings. In this way decisions taken in Brussels will be given appropriate advance scrutiny at home.”

Among the major changes to Committees’ terms of reference are:

• EU matters will generally be a standing item on the agenda for each Committee meeting.
• Committees will consider all draft legislation within their remit published by the EU Commission and will decide which proposals to scrutinise in depth.
• Committees will also be empowered to monitor the EU Commission’s adherence to the principal of subsidiarity
• Committees will also be able to engage in a “political dialogue” directly with the EU institutions on issues of particular concern.
• Committees will invite Ministers to attend in advance of EU Council meetings to brief the Committee on the agenda and on the outcome of previous meetings.
• Committees will engage with Secretaries General in relation to their six monthly reports on the progress of EU legislation.

For further information please contact:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551

Committee Membership

Deputies:

Ciarán Lynch, Labour Party (Chairman)
Noel Coonan, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
James Bannon, Fine Gael
Paudie Coffey, Fine Gael
Terence Flanagan, Fine Gael
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Fine Gael
Tony McLoughlin, Fine Gael
Patrick O’Donovan, Fine Gael
Brian Walsh, Fine Gael
Kevin Humphreys, Labour Party
Gerald Nash, Labour Party
Seán Kenny, Labour Party
Robert Troy, Fianna Fáil
Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fáil
Niall Collins, Fianna Fáil
Sandra McLellan, Sinn Féin
Dessie Ellis, Sinn Féin
Brian Stanley, Sinn Féin
Clare Daly, Socialist Party
Catherine Murphy, Independent
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Independent
 
Senators:
Cáit Keane, Fine Gael
Catherine Noone, Fine Gael
Labhrás Ó’Murchú, Fianna Fáil
Ned O’Sullivan, Fianna Fáil
Eamonn Coghlan, Independent