asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if it is Government policy to promote the creation of an independent European Government answerable to the European Parliament with the task of developing a common defence or security policy, as proposed by the Christian Democrat group in a draft resolution of the European Parliament on 12 February, 1982.
Written Answers. - Independent European Government.
310.
The European Economic Community is committed, in the Treaty of Rome, to progress towards "an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe". This aim is essentially a political one, to which, of course, the Irish Government have been committed ever since we joined the Community.
The precise form which any ultimate European political union might take is, of course, wholly unclear at the moment, and it would be premature to speak of an "independent European Government".
The Treaties of Rome and Paris, which are the foundation of our membership of the Community, do not entail any military or defence commitments. Successive Irish Governments have, however, stated that if a full European political union were to emerge, Ireland would accept the obligations involved, even if these included defence of the territories of the new union. That continues to be the policy of the Government.