asked the Minister for External Affairs whether the Government are now prepared to ratify Protocol No. 4 to the European Convention on Human Rights.
Written Answers. - Council of Europe Recommendations and Resolutions.
99.
The question of ratification of this Protocol is under active consideration in my Department at present.
100.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what action the Government have taken on Recommendation 505 in reply to the 15th report on the activities of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 28th September, 1967.
With regard to operative paragraph 7 (a) of the Recommendation my Department is at present initiating the appropriate procedures with a view to acceding to the Protocol to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees.
With regard to operative paragraph 7 (b) of the Recommendation the Government propose, subject to Dáil approval, to increase in the current year by 50 per cent their regular contribution to the programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
101.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 507 on European space policy and satellite applications which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 29th January, 1968; and whether he will instruct his permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
The Government's attitude towards European space policy generally was outlined in my reply of the 14th July, 1967, to a question asked by the Deputy.
Recommendation No. 507 was considered by the Committee of Ministers' Deputies at their meeting in Strasbourg from 4th to 8th March, 1968, at which a reply to the Consultative Assembly, to which the Permanent Representative was instructed to raise no objections, was unanimously agreed to. It will be appreciated that it would not be proper for me to disclose the terms of the reply of the Committee of Ministers in advance of its transmission to the Consultative Assembly.
102.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 508 on the extension of European scientific and technological co-operation which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 29th January 1968; and whether he will instruct his permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
The Committee of Ministers' Deputies at their meeting in Strasbourg from 4th to 8th March, 1968, agreed on the text of a reply with which the Irish Representative concurred, to Recommendation No. 508 of the Consultative Assembly. I regret that it would not be proper for me to disclose the terms of the reply of the Committee of Ministers in advance of its transmission to the Consultative Assembly.
103.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 512 on the Stockholm Conference on Intellectual Property which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 31st January 1968; and whether he will instruct his permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
At their meeting in Strasbourg from 4th to 8th March, 1968, the Committee of Ministers' Deputies agreed to the text of a reply, with which the Irish Representative concurred, to Recommendation No. 512 of the Consultative Assembly. It would not be proper for me to disclose the terms of the reply of the Committee of Ministers in advance of its transmission to the Consultative Assembly.
104.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 513 on the power to be conferred on the Assembly to refer alleged breaches of the Convention to the European Commission of Human Rights which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 31st January, 1968; and whether he will instruct his permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
The Government are not in favour of the proposals contained in Recommendation No. 513 to change the procedure already laid down in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms on referring alleged breaches of the Convention to the European Commission on Human Rights and the Permanent Representative to the Committee of Ministers' Deputies has been instructed in accordance with this position.
105.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 520 on the situation of the refugees in the Middle East which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 2nd February, 1968; and whether he will instruct his permanent representative in the committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
In addition to their regular annual contribution of $25,000, the Government, following the war in the Middle-East last June, made an additional emergency contribution of $40,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, and propose, subject to Dáil approval, to increase their regular contribution to the Agency for the current year by $15,000 or 60 per cent.
In view of these facts and of the fact that it is considered that the settlement of the refugee problem falls within the competence of the United Nations, the proposal at operative paragraph 7 (a) of the Recommendation is not favoured. The Permanent Representative to the Committee of Ministers' Deputies has been instructed in accordance with this situation but can support operative paragraphs 7 (b) and 7 (c) of the Recommendation.
106.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Resolution No. 359 on the general policy of the Council of Europe which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 30th January, 1968; and what action the Government have taken, or contemplate taking, on it.
No action is required from the Government or the Committee of Ministers on Resolutions of the Consultative Assembly, other than to take note of them. The Committee of Ministers has taken note of Resolution No. 359 at their meeting on 4th to 8th March, 1968.
107.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Resolution No. 364 on the defence of the freedom of opinion and expression in European countries which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 2nd February, 1968; and what action the Government have taken, or contemplate taking, on it.
No action is required from the Government or the Committee of Ministers on Resolutions of the Consultative Assembly other than to take note of them. The Committee of Ministers has taken note of Resolution No. 364 at their meeting on 4th to 8th March 1968.
108.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 514 on the problems raised by industrial stock-breeding which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 1st February 1968: and whether he will instruct his permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
The Government can give general support to the proposals made in Recommendation No. 514 and the Permanent Representative concurred with the terms of a reply, which the Committee of Ministers' Deputies, at their meeting in Strasbourg from 4th-8th March, 1968, agreed to send to the Consultative Assembly. It would not be proper for me to disclose the text of the reply of the Committee of Ministers in advance of its transmission to the Consultative Assembly.
109.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 515 in reply to the Second Report on the activities of the World Food Programme which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 1st February, 1968; and whether he will instruct his permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
The Government are generally in favour of the terms of Recommendation No. 515 and their support for the World Food Programme has, since its inception, been on a relatively generous scale. This does not imply, however, a commitment to increase their existing pledge to help meet the deficiency between the target set for the programme and the total of pledges already made. The Permanent Representative on the Committee of Ministers' Deputies has been instructed in accordance with this position.
110.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 517 on farming in mountain areas which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 1st February, 1968; and whether he will instruct his permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
In view of the fact that Recommendation No. 517 is concerned with the development of international co-operation with a view to a co-ordinated approach to the social and economic problems of mountain areas in Europe, which form a homogeneous unit but which lie within the boundaries of two or more States, it is considered that it has little relevance to conditions in this country, and it is not considered necessary to take any action in regard to it. The Permanent Representative on the Committee of Ministers' Deputies has been instructed in accordance with this position.
111.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 518 on the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 1st February, 1968; and whether he will instruct his permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this Recommendation.
As the work of International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies is not particularly relevant to the agricultural problems and climate of this country, the Government do not consider it necessary to take any action on Recommendation No. 518. The Permanent Representative on the Committee of Ministers' Deputies has been instructed in accordance with this position.