Vol. 411 No. 8
4 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Defence the number of meetings which have been held with other European Defence Ministers over the past six months; the matters discussed at such meetings; and if he will give details of plans to hold further meetings.
I have had no such meetings, nor are any planned.
In view of the discussions taking place and which will take place, particularly in Maastricht in December, will the Minister agree that it is very important for him to have meetings which his European counterparts to find out what is in their minds in relation to a future European Defence arrangement within Europe? Does the Minister think it important that such a meeting should take place? Is he prepared to initiate such meetings?
As I said earlier in relation to EC common defence security policies and other similar matters——
I would not leave it to Minister Collins.
——those matters are the responsibility of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and we do not have involvement in any of those discussions.
We must now proceed to other questions. No. 6, in the name of Deputy Barnes, to the same Minister.
