| Type of parliamentary body |
Multifunctional |
| Nature |
Permanent |
| Related to chambers |
Dáil Éireann
Seanad Éireann - Senate
|
| Date of creation |
July 2002 |
| Last renewal date |
|
| Mandate |
The Joint Committee on European Affairs has a wide remit and considers this matter in the context of the European Union's external trade. The Committee may deal with any matter relating to Ireland's membership of the European Union. There is no specific mandate with regard to international trade.
The Committee cannot mandate a minister to take a particular course of action but seeks to influence the relevant minister or ensure that due regard is given to the opinion of the Committee.
The world trade talks are an example of a topic which may be considered by the Committee since it represents an over-arching policy area spanning a number of sectors which may not be a suitable topic for a single specialized (sectoral) committee to examine.
International trade is also a topic which may arise in the work of the Committee in monitoring Ireland's activities at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC). Oversight of the GAERC is carried out by the Committee through regular meetings with the Minister for Foreign Affairs (or the Minister of State for European Affairs) in advance of each council meeting where the committees are briefed on the forthcoming agenda and the government's view with regard to the items for discussion.
|
| Membership |
There are 17 members on the Committee: 11 members of Dáil Éireann (Lower House) and six members of the Seanad Éireann (Upper House). The Dáil Select Committee is appointed by the Lower House and similarly the Seanad Select Committee is appointed by the Upper House. The Committee exists for the life of the parliament. |
| Working methods |
The Committee publishes a work programme at the beginning of the year from which the agenda topics are chosen but may also consider ad hoc matters as they arise. All meetings (except on limited selected topics such as draft reports or housekeeping matters) are conducted in public session.
The Committee may request attendance by government officials or ministers or other interested parties. The Committee utilizes information supplied by the EU institutions, government departments and internal independent advice where appropriate.
The Committee may report to both Houses on any topic should it wish to do so. The Committee is not precluded from organizing hearings on any topic falling within its terms of reference. |
| Relations with other parliamentary bodies |
A sub-committee of the Committee called the Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny scrutinizes European Union legislative proposals and other documents including occasionally proposals that have followed on from WTO decisions. The Sub-Committee may refer documents to the Committee or other sectoral committees for consideration. In this way, documents relating to the European Union's external trade may arise for discussion in the Committee. |
| Relations with external bodies |
The Committee aims to hold government to account for its performance at the Council but does not seek to mandate the government to take a particular course of action. With regard to Ireland's membership of the European Union and the Committee's oversight, the Committee receives a great deal of cooperation from the government (as evidence by the regular public meetings in advance of each GAERC). It is not usual for members of the Committee to attend intergovernmental negotiating forums as part of a national delegation.
Members of the European Parliament, including from Northern Ireland, and members of the Irish delegation to the Council of Europe, may attend (and take part in) meetings of the Committee.
The Committee has a website which endeavors to bridge the gap between parliament and civil society by posting its reports and detailing the decisions taken by its sub-committee on European scrutiny with regard to all European legislative proposals (decisions informed in part by information received from government departments in each and every case).
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| Subjects dealt with |
The issue of international trade/WTO has not been a specific topic for the Committee recently. However the Committee is likely to consider such a topic at the appropriate time, given the cross cutting nature of the issue. |
| CONTACT INFORMATION |
|
PRESIDING OFFICER(S)
|
| Name |
Mr. John Deasy |
| Notes |
TD
Chairman, Joint Committee on European Affairs |
| Address (if different from above) |
Dail Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 |
| Phone |
+353 1 618 3945 |
| Fax |
+353 1 618 4119 |
| E-mail |
|
| Website |
|
| Name |
Mr. Bernard Allen |
| Notes |
TD
Chairman, Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny |
| Address (if different from above) |
Dail Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 |
| Phone |
+353 1 618 3945 |
| Fax |
+353 1 618 4119 |
| E-mail |
|
| Website |
|
|
SECRETARY
|
| Name |
Ms. Siobhan Malone |
| Notes |
Clerk to the Joint Committee on European Affairs |
| Address (if different from above) |
Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 |
| Phone |
+353 1 618 3945 |
| Fax |
+353 1 618 4119 |
| E-mail |
smalone@oireachtas.ie |
| web site: |
http://www.oireachtas.ie
|
| Notes |
|
| Address (if different from above) |
|
| Phone |
+353 1 618 3199/3874/3390 |
| Fax |
|
| E-mail |
eu.committee@oireachtas.ie |
| web site: |
|
| Notes |
|
| Name |
Ms. Sinead McCann |
| Notes |
Clerk to the Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny |
| Address (if different from above) |
Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 |
| Phone |
+353 1 618 3199 / +353 1 618 3945/3874/3372 |
| Fax |
+353 1 618 4149 |
| E-mail |
oirscrutiny@oireachtas.ie |
| web site: |
http://www.oireachtas.ie
|
| Notes |
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