Ireland's parliament is to be given more scrutiny over
changes in EU law in a bill published today, which paves the way for a
referendum on the Lisbon treaty. According to the referendum bill, the approval
of both houses of the Irish parliament will be needed to permit the use of a
bridging clause that changes decision-making.
Under the Lisbon treaty, in EU policy areas where individual
countries have a power of veto and the unanimous consent of all states is
needed, the rules of decision-making can be changed by the bridging clause to a
system of weighted majority voting. The unanimous consent of the member states
is required to invoke this use of the bridging clause.
The referendum bill gives the Irish parliament a degree more
control over whether the Irish government should consent to such a change. The
consent of the Irish parliament would also be required to approve Ireland's
participation in enhanced co-operation – a mechanism that allows a group of at
least nine member states the possibility of adopting a law without waiting for
the other member states to participate.
The Irish government is hoping the bill will reduce voters'
concerns that EU laws might be passed without proper scrutiny at national
level.
The Irish bill mirrors a ruling handed down by the German
constitutional court last week, which said that before the Lisbon treaty could
be ratified legislation was needed to give the German parliament a greater say
about the use of the bridging clause.
The roles of the Irish and German parliaments could prove
crucial in the future given that unanimity is needed among member states.
The Dáil, the lower house of the parliament, will debate the
referendum bill on Wednesday evening with the Seanad, the upper house, debating
it on Thursday. The parliament is expected to pass the bill before it rises for
the summer break on Thursday. John Gormley, Ireland's environment minister, is
expected formally to name the date of the referendum on 16 July, though
officials say that Prime Minister Brian Cowen may announce the date in the Dáil
this week.
Under Irish law, polling must take place between 30 and 90
days after the passing of the bill. Gormley is expected to set up a referendum
commission next Monday (13 July), which will provide impartial information on
the Lisbon treaty. A postcard is being sent out to every household in the
country this week explaining the guarantees on the treaty recently secured by
Ireland at the European Council.
Go to the Content Tuesday, 9 February 2010
