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This article has been translated in Irish but if you’d like to read the English version you can do so here.
RACHAIDH VÓTÁLAITHE AR fud an Aontais Eorpaigh (an AE) ag vótáil idir 6-9 Meitheamh chun na chéad 720 Feisire eile de Pharlaimint na hEorpa (FPE) a thoghadh chun ionadaíocht a dhéanamh dóibh sa Bhruiséil agus Strasbourg.
Is í Parlaimint na hEorpa an dara pharlaimint is mó ar domhan agus tá 705 Feisire de Pharlaimint na hEorpa (FPE) ann as 27 Ballstát. Méadófar líon na suíochán sa chéad toghchán eile go 720 suíochán.
Tá 13 FPE ag Éirinn faoi láthair agus déanann siad ionadaíocht do thrí thoghcheantar na hEorpa agus gheobhaidh siad suíochán breise i ndiaidh na dtoghchán ar an 7 Meitheamh, rud a fhágann gurb ionann 14 agus líon FPEnna na hÉireann. Dáiltear sé shuíochán ar a laghad ar gach tír sa Pharlaimint.
Cad is FPE ann go díreach? Agus cad a dhéanann siad? Agus conas mar atá an post i gcomparáid le bheith i do TD, seanadóir nó comhairleoir?
Cruinniú Iomlánach
Den chuid is mó, is é post an FPE vóta a chaitheamh ar reachtaíocht agus treoracha ar bhealach a dhéanann ionadaíocht do shuimeanna a dtoghthóirí.
Déantar an chuid is mó den vótáil le linn ‘Cruinnithe Iomlánaigh’ – seisiún ceithre lá chun díospóireacht a dhéanamh agus vóta a chaitheamh ar na dlíthe is déanaí. Is féidir le roinnt dlíthe sin a bheith an-sonrach, ar nós uas-leibhéal ábhar truaillithe atá ceadaithe i mbia a leagan amach ar fud na hEorpa.
Is féidir le dlíthe eile a bheith níos teicniúla, mar shampla an mhí seo, chaith an Pharlaimint vóta rialacháin ar Intleacht Shaorga a ghlacadh a athróidh an chaoi a dtéann forbróirí i ngleic lena dtáirgí agus cosaintí a chur i bhfeidhm in aghaidh úsáide mailísí IS.
Maidir le dlíthe a mbeidh tionchar níos mó acu ar líon níos mó daoine, de ghnáth, déanann na FPEnna díospóireacht faoin dréacht-reachtaíocht ar an lá roimh an vótáil. Tugann sé sin deis do na polaiteoirí tacaíocht nó cáineadh a chur in iúl agus ligeann sé d’idirbheartaithe na leasuithe an chaoi a n-oibreoidh an dlí a leagan amach.
FPE na hÉireann Barry Andrews (Ar dheis) ag labhairt le linn díospóireachta ag Parlaimint na hEorpa in Strasbourg, an Fhrainc. Barry Andrews ar X
Barry Andrews ar X
I ndiaidh díospóireachtaí, taighde agus treoir ó shainchomhairleoirí, déanann FPEnna cinneadh ar an gcaoi a gcaithfidh siad vóta.
De ghnáth, roghnóidh FPEnna vóta a chaiteamh ar bhealach a dhéanann ionadaíocht dá dtoghthóirí, agus is féidir leis sin a bheith míchompordach dá bharr – mar gheall ar na dearcthaí éagsúla a ndéantar ionadaíocht dóibh sa Pharlaimint.
Mar shampla, an mhí seo caite, chaith FPEnna Fhine Gael vóta ar son an Dlí Athchóirithe Nádúir agus chaith an chuid is mó dá ghrúpa parlaiminte vóta in aghaidh an dlí sin. Luaigh Fine Gael an tábhacht a bhain leis an nádúr agus bithéagsúlacht a choinneáil in Éirinn.
Mar gheall ar scóip leathan na ndlíthe a thagann os comhair FPEnna, tá an-chumhacht ag an ngrúpa polaiteoirí sin maidir leis an reachtóireacht i ngach tír. In Éirinn, meastar go dtagann thart ar 70% den reachtaíocht a dhréachtú, a leasú agus a ghlacadh ón Aontas Eorpach.
Ar an ábhar seo, agus do na hiarmhairtí éagsúla a thagann chun cinn mar gheall ar theipeanna freagrachtaí reachtaíochta iomlána (lena n-áirítear fíneálacha móra) a chomhlíonadh, ba cheart do FPE gach ‘téacs’ a mheas a chuirtear faoina mbráid.
Déanann Parlaimint na hEorpa díospóireacht faoi agus vóta a chaitheamh ar thrí chineál téacs éagsúil:
Tuarascálacha reachtaíochta: téacsanna maidir le héifeachtacht dréacht-dlí nó athruithe ar an reachtaíocht laistigh den Aontas Eorpach.
Nós imeachta buiséid: dearbhú foirmiúil maidir le caiteachas agus ioncam an Aontais Eorpaigh.
Tuarascálacha neamh-reachtaíochta: tuarascálacha siombalacha arna ndréachtú ag FPEnna ionas gur féidir leis an bParlaimint aird na n-institiúidí AE agus aird an phobail a tharraingt ar thopaic áirithe.
Is féidir le FPEnna a roghnú a dtuairim a thabhairt ar na tuarascálacha sin sula gcaitheann siad vóta orthu. Is minic a thugtar tréimhse ama an-ghearr do gach feisire a gcuid a rá – ag brath ar líon na bpolaiteoirí a d’iarr ar chead cainte.
Tugtar tús áite sna díospóireachtaí seo don rapóirtéir – an FPE a bhí i gceannas ar idirbheartaíochtaí maidir le leasuithe ar leibhéal an choiste agus a d’ullmhaigh an tuarascáil reachtaíochta.
Bhí cead cainte cúig nóiméad ag FPE Chomhaontas Glas na hÉireann Ciarán Cuffe agus a thuairim á thabhairt maidir le cén fáth ar cheart don Pharlaimint an Treoir Iarfheistithe’, mar a thugtar air, a ghlacadh, a raibh sé ina rapóirtéir dó.
Seomra Pharlaimint na hEorpa, Strasbourg, An Fhrainc. Alamy
Alamy
Nuair atá cinneadh déanta ag an bParlaimint ar na dlíthe seo, cuirtear ar aghaidh iad chuig an gcuid eile d’institiúidí an Aontais Eorpaigh chun díospóireacht a dhéanamh futhú agus iad a chur i bhfeidhm ina dhiaidh sin.
● Is féidir tuilleadh eolais ar an bpróiseas sin a fháil anseo.
Dúirt an Dr. Ian Cooper, comhalta taighde ag Institiúid an Bhreatimeachta de chuid Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath: “Níl an méid sin cumhachta ag FPEnna agus atá
ag TDanna, ach is léir go bhfuil níos mó cumhachta acu ná mar atá ag Seanadóirí nó comhairleoirí.
Má dhéanann tú breithiúnas air ó thaobh na bpolaiteoirí iad féin de,
ceapann siad go bhfuil an ról mar TD an ról is tábhachtaí.
“Ó roinnt tuairimí, tá FPEnna níos tábhachtaí mar gheall go bhfuil reachtaíocht á rith acu a théann i bhfeidhm ar 450 milliún duine, agus tá ról tábhachtach ag FPEnna na hÉireann.
“Ach, níl an ardphróifíl chéanna acu i bpolaitíocht na hÉireann, agus is fadhb í seo i ngach Ballstát. Is minic nach gcaitheann saoránaigh vóta ar shaincheisteanna na hEorpa, ach úsáideann siad saincheisteanna náisiúnta mar bhunús dóibh.”
Chuir Cooper sampla an Bhirt Ghlais ar fáil, atá tábhachtach do vótálaithe atá ina bhfeirmeoirí, ach ní hé rud a phléitear ar leac an dorais.
“Tá go leor reachtaíochta á rith ag an Aontas Eorpach le déanaí – ar nós an reachtaíocht ar an Intleacht Shaorga agus ceann eile maidir le hoibrithe poistín – nithe a bhfuil fíor-éifeachtaí acu ar shaolta daoine, ach nach bhfuil ar bhealach a spreagfaidh vótálaithe.” arsa sé.
Coistí
Is i seomraí coiste a chaiteann FPEnna an chuid is mó dá n-am. Chuir grúpaíparlaiminte feisirí ar aghaidh chuig an gcoiste bunaithe ar a gcáilíochtaí roimhe sin. Tá coistí an do gach dlínse an Aontais Eorpaigh agus gach fochoiste cuí.
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Seolfaidh an Coimisinéir Eorpach cuí dréacht-mholtaí na reachtaíochta chuig na coistí seo a mholann leasuithe, a dhéanann díospóireacht agus a scrúdaíonn na rialacha nua.
Má tá Coimisinéir Trádála na hEorpa Valdis Dombrovskis ag iarraidh reachtaíocht ar tharaif a thabhairt isteach, cuirtear an dréacht faoi bhráid an choiste a dhéanfaidh an cinneadh a scrúdú agus leasuithe a chur chun cinn.
Ceapann cathaoirleach gach coiste ‘rapóirtéirí’ ar gach píosa de dhréacht-reachtaíocht, agus caithfear iad idirbheartaíochtaí leasaithe a threorú ansin. Ainmnítear ‘scáthrapóirtéirí’ chun a bheith ina bhfreasúra.
Dúirt Ollamh Cúnta le Polaitíocht ag OCBÁC agus Leas-Stiúrthóir Institiúid an Bhreatimeachta Christy Anne Petit nach bhfuil na hidirbheartaíochtaí seo le déanamh ar bhonn na polaitíochta, ach tá an tasc fadálach, agus deacair go minic, ag an rapóirtéir teacht ar chomhréiteach.
Seomra Coiste ag Parlaimint na hEorpa sa Bhruséil. Parlaimint na hEorpa
Parlaimint na hEorpa
Agus seasaimh pholaitíochta na FPEnna agus a suimeanna náisiúnta á gcoinneáil acu le linn na n-idirbheartaíochtaí, dúirt an t-acadóir go ndéantar an chuid is mó de na comhaontuithe bunaithe ar bhonn comhréitigh a aontaíodh idir polaiteoirí.
“Is é ról an rapóirtéara teacht ar chomhréiteach ar fud seacht ngrúpa polaitíochta – agus, dár ndóigh, iad sin nach bhfuil ailínithe – agus a bheith ar an eolas faoin méid atá ag tarlú i saol náisiúnta gach ballstáit,” arsa Petit.
“I ndlí na hEorpa, tarlaíonn go leor comhghuaillíochtaí,” arsa Petit. “Ní hamháin gur grúpaí polaitiúla iad ach is grúpa de Bhallstáit iad freisin. Mar sin, beidh ar an FPE go leor oibre a dhéanamh chun dul i gcomhairle le comhghleacaithe eile agus iad a thuiscint.”
Breathnaítear ar na sonraí ar fad le linn scrúdaithe an chosite agus ní mór teacht ar chomhaontú ar gach leasú trí chomhréiteach ag an gcoiste. Is é sin ceann d’iarrachtaí na gcosaintí ó Choimisinéirí stop a chur le mór-bheartais a chur chun cinn acu féin.
Chun díospóireachtaí ar feadh míonna a sheachaint, reáchtálann an Pharlaimint agus Comhairle na nAirí díospóireachtaí an-fhada, ar a dtugtar ‘Idirphlé Trípháirteach’.
Chuir an Dr. Ian Cooper an obair i gcruinnithe agus idirphlé trípháirteach i gcomparáid le “hispíní a dhéanamh” – gránna go minic, ach oibríonn sé.
Idirbheartaíocht idirinstitiúideach nó seomra Idirphlé Trípháirteach ag Parlaimint na hEorpa sa Bhruiséil. Parlaimint na hEorpa
Parlaimint na hEorpa
Bíonn idirphlé trípháirteach ar siúl thar cúpla lá nó seachtain agus ní bhíonn siad
críocnaithe go dtí go dtagtar ar chomhaontú.
Nuair a chomhaontaítear na leasuithe agus nuair a thacaíonn an coiste leo, tógann na
rapóirtéirí an dréachtreachtaíocht chuig an bParlaimint le haghaidh cruinniú iomlánach, trí thuarascáil reachtaíochta. Is é sin an deis deireanach an bille a rith.
Ról sa taidhleoireacht idirnáisiúnta
Tá ról ríthábhachtach ag FPEnna freisin sa taidhleoireacht idirnáisiúnta agus maoirseacht daonlathach. Is gnáthrud é anois misin breathnóireachta, atá curtha ar bun ag an bparlaimint le feidhmiú mar choiste faire le linn toghchán idirnáisiúnta.
Is lucht déanta polasaithe sinsireach atá sa chuid is mó de na grúpaí caidrimh idirnáisiúnta, dar le Petit, agus cuireadh ar bun iad chun maoirseacht a dhéanamh ar
thoghcháin dhaonlathacha nó cur i bhfeidhm próiseas nua maidir le náisiúin a fhorbairt.
Tharraing an Dr. Ian Cooper aird ar na róil atá ag FPE Fhine Gael Seán Kelly agus FPE Fhianna Fáil FPE Barry Andrews maidir le Tionól Compháirtíochta Parlaiminteach AE-RA, áit ina mbuaileann FPEnna agus FPanna na Breataine dhá uair sa bhliain chun maoirseacht a dhéanamh ar chur i bhfeidhm Bheart an Bhreatimeachta.
“Tá ról tábhachtach acu, is dóigh liom, maidir le trédhearcacht agus maoirseacht dhaonlathach a thabhairt maidir leis an gcaoi a bhfuil an Breatimeacht á chur i ngníomh agus conas atá sé á chur i bhfeidhm,” arsa sé.
“Úsáidim é sin mar shampla, ach tá roinnt comhlachtaí comhchosúla ina bhfuil ról sa taidhleoireacht nó gnóthaí idirnáisiúnta ag Feisirí Pharlaimint na hEorpa.”
Toscaireacht bheag FPEnna ar cuairt le déanaí ar Thrasbhealach Rafah ar theorann na hÉigipte le Gaza.
Mhol Petit gur shil an méadú sin ar an gcineál oibre sin síos go dtí cuid eile na Parlaiminte, mar chreideann sí gur chuir FPEnna tábhacht níos láidre ar mheicníochtaí freagrachta a fhorbairt i reachtaíocht nua le 10 mbliana anuas.
Cé go bhfuil ról ag FPEnna na hÉireann sna meicníochtaí sin a fhorbairt, bhí an Stát ar an taobh mícheart díobh i go leor cásanna.
An tseachtain seo caite, tugadh rabhadh d’Éirinn gur féidir leis an Aontas Eorpach caingean dlí a ghlacadh in aghaidh an Stáit maidir lena theipeanna portaigh mhóna a chosaint ón sleádóireacht.
Cé gur choinnigh an Rialtas cosaint láidir sa chás, is sampla amháin é seo de go leor samplaí inar oibrigh na meicníochtaí freagrachta go héifeachtach.
—
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