The Government is to open resident missions in four of the EU candidate countries, Cyprus, Estonia, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia.

The decision should be seen as evidence of its commitment to EU enlargement, the Minister of State for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Tom Kitt, told the House.

"The Government decided yesterday that resident mission would be opened in all the candidate countries over a two-year period," he said. Mr Kitt was speaking at the conclusion of the second stage of the European Union Bill proposed by the Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn. The private member's Bill was not opposed by the Government at the second stage.

The capacity of parliamentary institutions at national level to monitor and review developments within the EU was of critical importance, Mr Kitt said. It was clear, given the "sheer volume" of issues, many of them high technical, that current arrangements required a comprehensive review.