asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 530 on the general policy of the Council of Europe: Europe and the world, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 23rd September, 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.
Written Answers. - Council of Europe Recommendations.
106.
The Committee of Ministers' Deputies considered Recommendation No. 530 at their 174th and 175th meetings and agreed to a reply, with which the Irish Permanent Representative concurred, to the Assembly in the matter. It will be appreciated that it would not be proper for me to disclose the terms of this reply in advance of its transmission to the Assembly.
107.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 532 on Assistance to the Victims of the Civil War in Nigeria, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 24th September, 1968; and what action it has taken or intends to take following the proposals contained in this recommendation.
The Irish Permanent Representative to the Committee of Ministers has, in accordance with instructions, supported Recommendation 532 on assistance to the victims of the civil war in Nigeria.
The policy of the Government in the field of humanitarian assistance for the victims in question has been stated on a number of occasions in Dáil Éireann the most recent occasion being on the 4th December, 1968.
108.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 533 on synchronising and harmonising population censuses in Europe, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 24th September, 1968; and whether action will be taken as recommended in Chapter I of the operative part of this recommendation.
The Government consider that any action in this field should continue to be undertaken within the framework of the Conference of European Statisticians and the Irish Permanent Representative has been instructed in accordance with this viewpoint.
109.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation 535 on the promotion of modern language teaching in Europe, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 24th September, 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 paragraph 11 of this recommendation.
The terms of Recommendation No. 535 are generally acceptable and the Irish Permanent Representative has been instructed to support the proposals contained in paragraph 11 of the Recommendation.
110.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 536 on European co-operation in the field of space, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 25th September, 1968; and what measures have been taken by them to co-ordinate the instructions to be given to their delegations in the Councils of the various international space organisations (ESRO, ELDO, CETS).
111.
asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state, having regard to Recommendation No. 536 on European co-operation in the field of space which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 25th September, 1968, what measures the Government envisage in view of the successive crises in European technological organisations, particularly those concerned with space matters, to ensure that decisions can be taken at political level in the appropriate bodies (ELDO Ministerial Conference, European Space Conference).
112.
asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state, having regard to Recommendation No. 536 on European co-operation in the field of space which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 25th September, 1968, whether the Government are willing to agree to the adoption by the European Space Conference of a co-ordinated European space programme, including work on application and scientific satellite launchers.
113.
asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state, having regard to Recommendation No. 536 on European co-operation in the field of space which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 25th September, 1968, whether the Government envisage the implementation of the various projects by the superimposition of work done by each of the countries participating; or if they would prefer implementation in an integrated manner, carried out within organisations endowed with adequate powers.
As these questions refer to Recommendation No. 536 of the Consultative Assembly, I propose to take them together.
The Government's policy in regard to European space matters has been outlined in my reply to question No. 1 on 14th July, 1967, and question No. 101 on 3rd April, 1968, and in my reply to a similar question by the Deputy on 29th October last. There has been no change in the Government's attitude since that date.