Michael D. Higgins
Question:7 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures which the Government is taking to ensure action and public discussion on the Lomé IV Convention.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Lomé IV Convention.
Ireland signed the fourth ACP-EEC Convention, subject to ratification, on 15 December last. Before the Convention could be ratified by Community member states, it was necessary to conclude internal agreements on the financing and administration of Community aid under the Convention. These were successfully concluded under the Irish Presidency.
The Convention and the related internal agreements were laid before the Dáil in October. A motion for approval of the Convention by the Dáil is on the Order Paper and I hope that it can be taken shortly. The final procedures for ratification can be implemented as soon as the House has given its approval. It is hoped that the new Convention will come into effect on 1 March next.
The debate in the Dáil will provide the principal opportunity for public discussion in Ireland of the Convention. Other suitable occasions to promote public interest will of course be availed of; it was, for example, discussed during the meeting last May of the European Parliament's Developoment Committee. I might add that, on the Community side, the EC Commission has primary responsibility for disseminating information about the Convention. I understand that publications in this regard are available from Commission offices including that in Dublin. I cannot say with certainty if it is on today's Order Paper but, if not, it should appear. As I say, I did not have the time to check.
I certainly welcome the information that an opportunity will be presented to the House to discuss this very important Convention. Indeed, I would hope that we would find time not in this session perhaps but early in the New Year, to have a very thorough discussion on the Convention. Does the Minister envisage a discussion taking place, at EC Council of Ministers level in the meantime, or does he at this stage envisage a debate taking place in the Dáil before 1 March next?
I would think that if there is agreement between the Whips we will have the debate before the end of this session. Our Whip will be in contact with his colleagues to ascertain whether that is possible. It would be desirable. If we do not, then, having regard to the fact that there will be a time limit on us in the New Year, we would want to give it priority at the beginning of the year.
There would be practical difficulties involved then because of budgetary agreements that will have to be sorted out by the parties. Of course, Lomé III continues until the implemention of Lomé IV. Whether or not there will be discussions at the General Affairs Council on that between now and the time it might come to the House, I cannot really say; I would doubt it. There is one more General Affairs committee meeting to take place on 18 December, the next one to take place in late January. Therefore, I cannot really say.
In fact, it is Question No. 13 on the Order Paper. Surely the Lomé IV Convention has been agreed between the ACP states among themselves and then agreed between the ACP member states and the European Communities, that it is ratification after signature that is now at issue? I think I saw that the French Presidency signed it in December 1989.
They would have signed it late in December 1989 on behalf of the EC because it was during their term of Presidency that the negotiations took place. The Deputy will remember that in the run up to Christmas last year there was quite a flurry of activity in an endeavour to deal with the matter. As of now, I understand that no Community member state has ratified the Convention to date——
But it will not be going back to the Council of Ministers, which is the point I am making, that they have disposed of it?
No, but I think Deputy Spring's question was whether we might have discussion on it. That would depend on whether there was any element of it that any member state felt warranted some airing for any particular reason. This can happen and has happened before. Of the 68 ACP states involved in the Convention, 26 have ratified. As I said earlier, it comes into force on 1 March next provided that all the European Community states and two-thirds of the ACP states have ratified it but it cannot come into force until that happens. For our part I should say we hope to move very quickly. Our Whip will be talking to the Opposition party Whips in order to ascertain whether we can make provision for such discussion.
I welcome the fact that we will be given an opportunity to debate the Lomé IV Convention in more detail. Can the Minister assure the House, in view of the additional resources required for Eastern Europe, there will be no danger of Lomé IV, or any future Convention between the EC and ACP countries, being bled of resources which would be allocated to central and eastern Europe?
That is a legitimate question, one I welcome because it gives me an opportunity of putting on the record that there will be quite a difference between Lomé III and Lomé IV. Lomé IV will last for ten years rather than five, as was the case with Lomé III. Lomé IV will have significantly increased financial resources and new member states. Any European Community aid for central or eastern European countries will not affect in any way what has been decided in respect of Lomé IV. As I said to Deputy Barry, the final negotiations leading to eventual decisions on Lomé IV took place around this time last year before there was any agreement or discussion on financial aid for central and eastern European countries.