asked the Minister for External Affairs why Ireland did not participate in the preparation of the Convention on the elaboration of a European Pharmacopoeia.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - European Pharmacopoeia.
54.
Ireland did not participate in the preparation of this convention as the preparatory work was confined to those Council of Europe member States who were members of an expert committee of the council, known as the Public Health Committee (Partial Agreement), specially constituted to carry on earlier work in this and other public health fields by the former Brussels Treaty Organisation or Western European Union.
Is membership of this committee open to Ireland and, if so, would Ireland consider applying for membership?
I think so. It is a matter which is primarily one for the Department of Health and is being studied there. I gather that, at this particular time, we cannot join the convention until all the contracting parties have ratified it and the convention enters formally into force but, because of our general development, we are participating since September of this year in the Council of Europe, Partial Agreement, activities in the public health field.