THE LISBON Treaty will strengthen the role of national parliaments by "giving us a direct input into European legislation", according to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Peter Power.
Mr Power said this would enable the Dáil and Seanad "to ensure the union does not exceed its authority".
Sinn Féin foreign affairs spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh claimed that to make the "process of centralisation appear less dramatic", the drafters of the treaty "included a protocol on member state parliaments".
Mr Ó Snodaigh said it was "clear that the new powers for member state parliaments are nothing more than cosmetic window dressing designed to improve the treaty's appearance".
They were speaking during a Dáil debate on a report drawn up by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Scrutiny on the enhanced role of national parliaments through the treaty.
Chairman of the committee John Perry (FG, Sligo North-Leitrim) called for the Dáil and Seanad to set aside one day a month to "discuss EU business".
Outlining some of the provisions, he said that "all draft EU laws will have to be forwarded to national parliaments for scrutiny". Under a "yellow and orange card mechanism, national parliaments can oblige the European Commission to re-think a draft legislative proposal".
Labour European affairs spokesman Joe Costello looked forward "to the day when European affairs are not dealt with by a committee down in the 'bunker', but are brought up to the full light of day in this Chamber".
