Phil Hogan
Question:49 Mr. Hogan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the Treaty on European Union agreed at Maastricht should be revised; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Maastricht Treaty on European Union.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:89 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the action, if any, he proposes to take to stimulate moves towards European economic, monetary, and political union; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 89 together. Eleven member states have ratified the Maastricht Treaty on European Union. The final ratification will, hopefully, take place shortly.
Far from contemplating changes to the Treaty, we should look forward to its full ratification and entry into force. This is the best way to stimulate moves towards European Union.
The Community has been functioning well, in spite of the difficult economic climate and the pressures on the ERM. It has, to take perhaps the clearest example, been able to agree on the framework for its future financing until the end of the century, with greatly increased funding, in real terms, for many policy areas. The most obvious for Ireland is the significant increases in Structural and Cohesion funding. The Community should now proceed with the immediate tasks in hand. It should ensure that the necessary decisions are in place to show that the Second Stage of European Monetary Union is starting in January 1994 as provided for in the Treaty on European Union. It should also ensure that the many new areas of policy included in the Treaty are given effect.
Another important task which the Community has set itself, and to which Ireland attaches particular importance, is to give greater priority to action in the areas of economic growth and employment. As a result of discussions at the Copenhagen European Council, the Commission will produce a White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness and Employment in time for examination at the December European Council. The Government has submitted to the Commission various ideas for inclusion in the White Paper. I would expect discussion of the White Paper, and its implementation, to be a major issue on the Community's agenda in 1994.