Peter Barry
Question:1 Mr. Barry asked the Taoiseach when it is proposed to establish an all-party Oireachtas committee on foreign affairs.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Committee on Foreign Affairs.
As I indicated in this House last Wednesday, I cannot say at this stage when it will be possible to establish this committee.
I will not go into the history of the Taoiseach's relationship with the former Tánaiste, Deputy Brian Lenihan, and whether the fact that Deputy Lenihan appears to be out of favour at the moment is one of the reasons the committee has not been set up. That should be set aside. The Taoiseach will remember that I have been approaching him about this matter for a number of years. I wrote to him on two occasions last year but received no reply. I met him last January and put to him points of view about the committee and its terms of reference and indeed an expanded role for the Committee on European Affairs. Deputy Bruton wrote to him in February and again asked him about the foreign affairs committee, but the Taoiseach has given no reply nor has he given any indication that he noted the points made by me.
The Deputy is embarking on a speech.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that it is essential that an all-party joint committee on foreign affairs be established so that the kind of comments made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in Luxembourg——
Deputy Barry, this is Question Time.
I am asking the Taoiseach does he not agree——
The Deputy is making a speech.
I am not, I am asking him if he agrees that the ambiguous comments about a federal Europe, made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs after a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday need to be explored by Members of this House and not just through——
I am sorry, I cannot allow this to continue, Deputy Barry.
Does the Taoiseach not agree that we need to sit face to face——
This is making a mockery of Question Time.
The Taoiseach should say what he means and if he has Government support when he says——
Deputy Barry must resume his seat.
First, I have to express my disappointment at the Taoiseach's response to Deputy Barry's question. It is widely accepted in this House and by many of the Taoiseach's parliamentary colleagues that this House needs a committee on foreign affairs. The Taoiseach has accepted in principle the necessity of establishing such a committee. Would he confirm whether discussions took place with Deputy Lenihan in relation to Deputy Lenihan chairing this committee? Despite the fact that the Taoiseach is unable to say when the committee will be set up, does he accept in principle that the workings of this House require a committee on foreign policy?
I do not accept anything of the kind. We set up a Committee on Crime this morning and that is sufficient for the time being.
For foreign policy?
I have always been of the opinion that matters as important as foreign policy should be discussed on the floor of this House——
The Taoiseach will not even do that.
——and that view has been on the records of this House as far back as 1983. I am a little surprised at Deputy Barry pressing so assiduously for the establishment of this committee when he as Minister, in a Government of which Deputy Spring was a member, refused to establish a foreign affairs committee. Where is the change?
I will tell the Taoiseach now.
No, this is Question Time.
May I ask the Taoiseach to explain the apparent contradiction with regard to the setting up of this committee in view of the fact that he entered into a series of discussions with representatives of the parties in Opposition with a view to establishing such a committee? He now comes into the House and says he does not agree that we need such a committee. Is the Taoiseach indicating that he no longer intends to establish such a committee?
No, I am not so indicating. What I said in my reply was that I am not in a position at this stage to say when the committee might be established. I deplore the fact that party leaders use in this House discussions which I had with them in all good faith on a non-party basis. Some of the leaders on that side of the House are always pressing me to have confidential discussions with party leaders.
What about the discussion with Deputy Lenihan?
On occasion party leaders use these discussions in this way.
(Interruptions.)
I am bringing this question to finality. If Deputy Barry wants to debate this issue he will have to do so on another occasion. He will not do so now. Could we have brief, relevant and succinct questions from the three Deputies concerned? I am calling Deputy Spring.
I know there are pressing matters in Kerry that Deputy Spring has to attend to urgently and therefore I will let him ask his question now.
That is just another inane Fine Gael remark, it is due to the mood they are in at the moment.
That is one for The Kerryman.
It shows the state of panic Fine Gael are in, but we will put up with it.
The Deputy is the one who is panicking.
It is about 18 months since the Taoiseach gave an indication that, in principle, there was a necessity for a foreign affairs committee. Could he outline to the House the reason he is unable to give a commitment to set up such a committee?
He does not have to give reasons for anything.
There is no particular reason it has not been possible to establish the committee. I do not think I accepted the need for a committee of this sort in principle. All I am doing is agreeing, perhaps with a great deal of reluctance because I do not think it is the best of ideas, that we might establish such a committee. Our experience in trying to establish the Committee on Crime does not make me very optimistic or enthusiastic about any other committees.
I have already made my point. The Taoiseach should clarify——
A final question from Deputy Barry.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that the comments made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs on Monday and Tuesday of this week as to the future of Europe and whether the Government are in favour of a federal or a confederal Europe, appear to be contradictory? Has this matter been discussed at Government level? Is the Minister correct in saying that the Government are in favour of moving towards a federal Europe? If so, do we not need some forum to discuss that matter, and should that forum not be a foreign affairs committee?
That is a separate question.
It is precisely that sort of tendentious partisan submission by Deputy Barry that makes me very reluctant to have anything to do with a foreign affairs committee.
The Deputy is entitled to a reply to that question.
I resent the Taoiseach's statement that I made a tendentious remark.
Ceist a 2, an Teachta McGinley.
The Taoiseach would not know what the Minister said.
Question No.2 has been called and it will be responded to.