EU migration pact scrutiny
Deputies Murphy and McGrath demanded a full House debate and expert witnesses before any committee referral of the migration pact, saying a debate-free process was anti-democratic.
With regard to the motion on the European migration pact, it is imperative that we have a full and frank discussion. This can only be done where we have objective witnesses brought before a committee who can help us to establish whether there are constitutional or legal implications for the country and its people. I ask respectfully that the Chief Whip takes it back to the Business Committee and amends the motion to include expert witnesses being brought before the committee.
Comment on this
I raised this at the Business Committee last week, as the Ceann Comhairle knows. I said I would object. I dissented from agreeing the business. The Rural Independent Group and I have been concerned about this not in the past week or days but for more than 18 months. We have been looking for a debate here and we have been denied it. We urgently need a debate. We cannot have a motion without debate referring the migration and asylum pact to a committee without debate in the House. We demand a full debate in the House, hopefully this week, before it is referred to the committee. It is of the utmost importance that we have full scrutiny of it and full understanding of the massive implications it has for many areas of life in our country, including our housing situation and everything else. We just cannot cope with it. We have to have a debate before it goes to the committee.