The groundbreaking EU pact on asylum and migration has five new directives. Three are already agreed. A set of recommendations is going straight to the justice committee without any opportunity to discuss its profound implications in this House. I canvassed twice in favour of the Lisbon treaty, which enshrines our opt-out on justice and home affairs, which was in the Treaty of Amsterdam, along with our colleagues from Denmark who have chosen not to opt into this legislation. When I did that canvassing, I honestly believed that if we were to opt into any of the measures in justice and home affairs, there would be a full and detailed examination of the possible consequences of either a full or partial opt-in or not opting in in this House, yet we are not getting that. We are getting platitudes. What we need is a detailed analysis of the specific benefits or drawbacks from opting in or out. It is really important that we get this right from a societal perspective as well as on a legislative basis. It is up to the Taoiseach to ensure that we do.

I assure the House and the Deputy that we will get that time. To be clear, it is being referred to the justice committee for its scrutiny. It will then come back to this House for a full debate, which the Government wishes to be given plenty of time and a vote by every Member. It will then go to the other House for a full debate and a vote by every Member because while I am very much in favour of the EU migration pact and do not make a secret of that, and the Government intends to opt in, it absolutely deserves and requires proper scrutiny in both Houses. The justice committee is the first step but there will be a full debate and vote in this House.