Colm M. Hilliard
Question:21 Mr. Hilliard asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of his meeting with Western European Union member nations. [9308/95]
Written Answers. - Western European Union.
John O'Leary
Question:28 Mr. O'Leary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland, as an observer member of the Western European Union, will have any role in the recently announced EUROFOR and EUROMARFOR. [9297/95]
Chris Flood
Question:30 Mr. Flood asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the contribution, if any, the Government will be making to the proposed EU White Paper on European Security; and the plans, if any, he has to seek the views of other Dáil parties on the matter. [9302/95]
Mary Harney
Question:33 Miss Harney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the manner in which Ireland can increase its involvement in European Military Co-operation in view of the Taoiseach's recent comments during the Schuman lecture at University College Cork. [7966/95]
Bertie Ahern
Question:34 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will undertake to submit to a referendum any proposed change in Ireland's policy of military neutrality. [6950/95]
Mary Harney
Question:36 Miss Harney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government's attitude to participation in a common European Defence arrangement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7566/95]
Noel Davern
Question:66 Mr. Davern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions, if any, he has had in regard to the Western European Union; and the attitude and approach he has taken on behalf of the Government. [9337/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 28, 30, 33, 34, 36 and 66 together.
In accordance with Ireland's Observer status in the Western European Union, I attended the six-monthly Western European Union Ministerial Council in Lisbon on 15 May 1995. I was accompanied by my colleague, Deputy Seán Barrett, in his capacity at that time as Minister of State at the Department of Defence. It will be recalled that Ireland took up Observer status in the Western European Union on the basis of the relationship established between the European Union and the Western European Union in the Maastricht Treaty. Ireland has attended, as an observer, all ministerial meetings of the Western European Union since ratification of the Maastricht Treaty
The Western European Union Lisbon Ministerial meeting took place as preparations for the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference (EGC) are beginning to gather momentum. The main items discussed at the Lisbon meeting were EU-WEU relations; the development of Western European Union's operational capacity; and the Common Reflection on the new European security conditions. All these reflect both the ongoing development of the EU-WEU relationship and the Western European Union's preparation for its input into the discussions within the EU at the Intergovernmental Conference in 1996 on a possible common defence policy for the European Union.
The meeting was also noteworthy in that Austria, Finland and Sweden, represented by their Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers, were attending their first Western European Union Ministerial Council since becoming Western European Union Observers following their accession to the EU at the beginning of 1995.
For the Government, the importance of the Lisbon meeting and similar meetings is that our attendance, in an Observer capacity, ensures that we are fully informed of developments in the Western European Union that may have a bearing on the options that will arise for Ireland and our EU partners in the security and defence context. It is essential that we be fully informed of all the relevant factors, both to enable the Government to prepare their own position for the Intergovernmental Conference and to prepare for Ireland's role as Chairman of the Intergovernmental Conference in the second half of 1996.
Among the other issues noted at the Lisbon meeting was the announcement by France, Spain and Italy of the creation of two joint military forces — a land force called EUROFOR, and a maritime force called EUROMARFOR. Portugal has announced that it is going to participate in both forces. The countries concerned have announced that these forces would be available upon request to both NATO and Western European Union and are open to participation by other Western European Union member states. As Ireland is not a member of the Western European Union, the question of membership by Ireland in EUROFOR or EUROMARFOR does not arise.
With regard to the question about a proposed EU White Paper on security, I am not aware of such a proposal at this time. I am aware that there is a French proposal for a Western European Union White Paper on European Security, which is under consideration in the Western European Union in conjunction with the ongoing work on a Common Reflection on the new European security conditions. The Common Reflection is an important exercise, in that all 27 countries involved in the Western European Union, including members, Associate members, Observers, and the nine Associate partners from Central and Eastern Europe, are participating. The purpose of the exercise is to review the evolving security situation in Europe, and on the basis of that review, to consider appropriate policies.
In so far as the views of the Dáil parties are concerned I understand that the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs is now completing a report on these important matters for submission to the Government as part of the consultation process in advance of the Government's White Paper on Foreign Policy.
The Taoiseach, in his Robert Schuman lecture in UCC on 6 April, and I, in my speech at the White Paper seminar in UCD on 16 February, set out some of the options that may face Ireland in the Intergovernmental Conference negotiations on the question of the framing of a common defence policy for the EU. Copies of both speeches are available in the Dáil Library. At this stage, the Government's intention is to encourage and facilitate a full debate on the possible options which we may face. This process will be taken a stage further with the publication in the near future of the Government White Paper on Foreign Policy.
Finally, in reply to Deputy Bertie Ahern, the Government has given a clear and unambiguous commitment in theProgramme for a Government of Renewal— and I am happy to confirm that commitment to the Dáil again today — that we will put the outcome of any future negotiations that would involve Ireland's participation in a common defence policy to the people in a referendum. This will ensure that Ireland's policy of military neutrality remains unchanged, unless the people themselves decide otherwise.