Upcoming EU Business in the Oireachtas

Seanad Éireann to be addressed by Habs Gert Pottering

Seanad Éireann resumes after its recess tomorrow and according to the Order of Business Hans Gert Pottering is to address Seanad Éireann at 10.30am. Mr Pottering is the former leader of the European Peoples Party in the European Parliament and is currently President of the European Parliament. I will attempt to live blog his speech which will be availible on Oirechtas Live. I assume there will be a question and answer session or a sos (break for non Irish speakers), but it is not scheduled before the start of ordinary business. If I do not live blog it, I will post highlights from it.

Seanad Éireann will also see statements on the Reform Treaty after the Order of Business.

Dáil to resume debating the Reform Treaty

Meanwhile the Dáil will resume its second stage debate on the Reform Treaty tomorrow evening after Leaders Questions. The debate is scheduled to last until thursday at 13:00. I will of course try to keep up my posting of snippets of contributions of the debate. Wednesday will see the debate resume after Leaders Questions and Questions to the Taoiseach. Wednesday will also see a statement from Department of the Taoiseach on the European Council. On Thursday the final day of debate will start first thing after the Order of Business. The bill will then move onto Committee stage, where both Labour and Fine Gael have mentioned the prospect of amendments.

EU Business at Committee Level

This week sees the, Joint Committee on European Scrutiny and the Joint Committee on European Affairs meeting in Public on Tuesday and Thursday. On Tuesday the Joint Committee on European Affairs will hear submissions on the The Lisbon Reform Treaty from VoteNo.ie, Peace and Neutrality Alliance and the People's Movement. They will meet at 14:00 in Committee Room 1, Leinster House 2000. The Joint Committee on European Scrutiny will meet in Committee Room 4, Leinster House 2000 to discuss Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals.

On Thursday both Committees will be meeting again. The Joint Committee on European Affairs will hold Public Deliberations on The Lisbon Reform Treaty at 20:00 in Room QG 13, Business School, Dublin City University. Members of the public are invited to attend and contribute to the Committee's deliberations. The Joint Committee on European Scrutiny will be scrutinising EU Legislative Proposals. They will be discussing:
* COM (2007) 697 re common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services, 2002/19/EC on access to, and interconnection of electronic communications networks and services, and 2002/20/EC on the authorisation of electronic communications networks and services.
* COM (2007) 698 re universal service and users' rights relating to electronic communications networks, Directive 2002/58/EC concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector and Regulation (EC) No. 2006/2004 on consumer protection co-operation
* COM (2007) 699 re the European Electronic Communication Market Authority

On European Electronic Communication Market Authority there will be submissions from Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Commission for Communications Regulation, eircom, The Telecommunications and Internet Federation and The Irish Cellular Industry Association.

---
Source:
This Week in the Houses of the Oireachtas 7 -11 April 2008