Vol. 443 No. 5
11 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the matter of Community financing of common foreign and security policy was discussed at a meeting of the EU General Affairs Council on 21 February 1994; the position Ireland adopted on this issue at the meeting; if the United Kingdom and Denmark dissented from the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The issue of the financing of the operational expenditure for actions taken under the Common Foreign and Security Policy — CFSP — was discussed by the Council on 21 February 1994. Under the Maastricht Treaty such expenditure may be financed either from Community sources or in whole or in part by national contributions of member states.
The Presidency proposal at that Council outlined three possible options as to how operational expenditure for actions under the CFSP might be financed: (i) from the Commission section of the Community budget — this option found favour with most of the member states, including Ireland; (ii) from the Council section of the Community budget — Denmark favoured this option; and (iii) from contributions by member states — the UK favoured this option.
This matter has been the subject of further discussion, most recently at the May General Affairs Council, on the basis of a paper presented by the Greek Presidency. The Council also discussed the technical details that would apply if expenditure were to be financed by national contributions of member states.
All member states have indicated their willingness to accept some form of Community financing for CFSP actions. This was on the understanding that the Council will retain responsibility for decision-making under the CFSP, as provided for in the Union Treaty. It was agreed that negotiations should take place with the European Parliament to make the necessary arrangements.
In view of the commitment by the previous Government and this Government that there will be no change in Ireland's defence role within the European Union, will the Minister accept that moves towards Ireland financing in part the security and defence mechanisms within the European Union are in breach of that commitment?
No. The question of operational expenditure applies to the current provisions on Common Foreign and Security Policy contained in Title 5 of the Maastricht Treaty. Decisions and actions of the Union with defence implications are for elaboration or implementation in the Western European Union, not in the European Union. The question of operational expenditure by the Union in this area does not arise. I do not accept the theory put forward by the Deputy.
On what will this money be spent and what contribution will be made by this country?
Order, I will call the Deputy again if necessary. I am calling Deputy Owen.
I understand the Minister attended a meeting with NATO last Friday, the first time an Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs attended such a meeting. Will he say whether the Common Foreign and Security Policy was discussed?
I attended a meeting in Paris last Thursday on the European Union initiative on European stability — I made a contribution on behalf of the Government — which is part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. I had no difficulty in attending with all the eastern European countries. NATO attends the Western European Union, which we attend as an observer. The initiative, which was proposed by the then French Foreign Minister, Prime Minister Balladur, has been adopted by the European Union with a view to developing the security pact on the future stability of Europe. This is timely in view of the weakness in terms of Yugoslavia — we will be discussing that matter later. The European Union is concerned to put in place mechanisms to ensure that we retain stability in terms of minorities and borders and identify critical areas and problems before they arise.
The Minister is well aware that I have argued for Ireland to be open to discussing the shape of the future security and defence of the European Union. I am anxious to clarify that any moves in terms of our involvement are open and above board so that political judgment can be made on them. Will the Minister say whether the Government has agreed to make a financial contribution to the common foreign and security operations of the European Union through the Western European Union or otherwise and what is the nature of such a contribution?
I have no difficulty in coming before this House at any time to outline expenditures on behalf of the Irish people. The Deputy is aware of the joint actions taken by the European Union. The Council has adopted joint actions on humanitarian aid for Bosnia, the sending of European Union observers to last month's elections in Russia, support in South Africa for the transition to a democratic and multiracial country, the launching of the initiative for a security pact in Europe and support for the Middle East process. We make contributions to those areas as we are required to do within the terms of the Maastricht Treaty.
To deal with more practical matters from Ireland's viewpoint, will the Minister agree it is desirable, in the context of the evolution of foreign and security policy on a common basis within the European Union, to have regard to the possibility of establishing a maritime protection service equivalent to the US coastguard, not a full-blown navy but a body based, or partly based, in the west in which Ireland could participate in terms of marine environmental protection, emigration, maritime environmental matters, fisheries polices and so on? Has the Department of Foreign Affairs put forward this matter at Western European Union level through our observer status or in other meetings within the European Union?
The suggestions put forward by the Deputy are admirable. We have sought, within the European Union, additional finance for our Navy to deal with two problems, one of which is obviously the drugs problem and the possible use of Ireland as a base for the distribution of drugs, and the second for fishery protection, which we want to strengthen. The Deputy's suggestion is worthy of examination and I will discuss it with my ministerial colleague who has operational responsibility in that area.
