Vol. 432 No. 4
1 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his meeting in Dublin on 9 June 1993 with the Danish Prime Minister Mr. Poul Nyrup Rasmussen; and if he will give details of the matters discussed and any conclusions reached.
Prime Minister Rasmussen visited Dublin on 9 June 1993, in his capacity as President of the European Council, as part of a tour of Community capitals, in order to prepare for the meeting of the European Council to be held in Copenhagen on 21-22 June, 1993.
In a meeting with the Tánaiste and myself, the Prime Minister outlined his intentions, at this stage, on the conduct of that meeting and I set out the views of the Government as to the priority items for discussion. Prime Minister Rasmussen and I were fully in agreement on the need to give priority at the Copenhagen meeting to Community action to stimulate economic growth and to promote job creation. The Tánaiste and I renewed our congratulations to him on the outcome of the second referendum in Denmark on ratification of the Treaty on European Union, as clarified at Edinburgh.
Did the Taoiseach present any programme to the Danish Prime Minister and what were the details of that programme in regard to job creation? What plans does he consider the Summit will bring forward for job creation?
I raised the question of co-ordination between the member states, that they should come forward with a plan to tackle unemployment. I raised that at the Birmingham Summit. At the Edinburgh Summit, the Finance Ministers met, and produced a growth initiative which has been put into operation. I would be the first to admit it is only a contribution towards addressing the major problem that exists. I made it clear to Prime Minister Rasmussen that we expected the Commission to come forward with papers for discussion at Copenhagen to tackle, on a co-ordinated basis, the serious unemployment problem that exists not only in Ireland but in other member states.
Did the Taoiseach discuss with the Danish Prime Minister the European Community budget and the inadequacy of that budget in its present form and as proposed for the next four or five years? Did he discuss with him Common Agricultural Policy expenditure which appears to be out of control at this stage?
The financial prospectus for the Community was settled in Edinburgh for the next few years and I am sure the Deputy is aware of that. From time to time Common Agricultural Policy expenditure increases and decreases in different years. We have a specific national interest in regard to aspects of the Common Agricultural Policy and, consequently, we watch those as closely as others watch benefits that flow to other countries.
There was no year when Common Agricultural Policy expenditure was lower than a previous year. In respect of the current year it is expected that expenditure will rise by £1.7 billion. Does the Taoiseach consider that an extraordinary increase given that the MacSharry reform was intended to stabilise expenditure, decrease Common Agricultural Policy expenditure in future years and redirect the budget towards other areas of development in the Community?
Was this matter discussed by the Taoiseach with the Danish Prime Minister and, if so, will the Taoiseach indicate the nature of that discussion? Will the Taoiseach permit a debate in this House next week on the outcome of the Summit in Copenhagen this weekend?
It is usual to report back to the House after a summit and I will report back on this occasion. Nobody expected results to be forthcoming in any particular year in relation to the control of Common Agricultural Policy expenditure and the MacSharry plan restructuring it; it will take a number of years for the position to become clear. I do not consider it my role to put forward a plan for the control of expenditure in this regard.
The Taoiseach stated that he discussed with the Danish Prime Minister the merits of a co-ordinated programme to tackle unemployment, but the question refers to the requirement to give details of matters discussed. Having regard to the fact that the extent of unemployment in the European Community now threatens the cohesion of the Community will the Taoiseach indicate some of the precise elements which such a programme might contain to tackle unemployment?
We had a general discussion with the Danish Prime Minister in relation to matters that could contribute to growth in the Community. We are all aware of the recession that has hit many member states, including Germany. We are also aware of the need to reduce interest rates as low as possible to encourage investment from which jobs will flow. We are conscious of the need for a world initiative to be taken bringing together the United States, Japan and Europe. The Danish Prime Minister exchanged views with me in regard to discussions he had in the United States similar to those I had in March. We are all aware of what is needed to increase consumer demand and create more jobs. We are also aware of the need for a GATT agreement to release world trade. They are the items we discussed. The meeting lasted one hour.
