Vol. 455 No. 4
8 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform if he has noted the resolution on the functioning of the Treaty on European Union concerning the Intergovernmental Conference in 1996, in particular the elements dealing with equality; and the plans, if any, he has to have an input to the Intergovernmental Conference in relation to equality issues. [12279/95]
20 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform if he has noted the resolution on the functioning of the Treaty on European Union concerning the Intergovernmental Conference in 1996, in particular the elements dealing with equality; and the plans, if any, he has to have an input to the Intergovernmental Conference in relation to equality issues. [12280/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 20 together.
The Deputy is referring to a resolution of the European Parliament on the functioning of the Treaty on European Union. Among the wide range of ideas in the resolution is a proposal for the "inclusion of an explicit reference in the Treaty to the principle of equal treatment irrespective of race, sex, age, handicap or religion".
My Department is being kept informed of developments relating to the Intergovernmental Conference and is involved in the development of policy approaches on matters relevant to it. The Government has not yet considered proposals for the amendment of the Treaty. When it does so I will make my views known in the light of the precise amendments proposed.
I am disappointed the Minister cannot be more explicit regarding the intention to include those references in the Treaty. A discussion on those matters between Members of this House would be very useful. As a great deal of disappointment has been expressed about the progress on equality policy at European level, does the Minister consider that, as proposed by Commissioner Flynn, an annual equality report should be published? Does he believe that once a decision is made on references in the treaty such an equality report would be appropriate?
That can be considered in the course of the Intergovernmental Conference. Members should note that we are talking about a resolution of the European Parliament and to translate that into amendment of the Treaty requires a good deal of discussion and consultation. It requires the key involvement of the Commission and the Council of Ministers. Many of the concepts put forward in the resolution of the Parliament conform with the objectives of the Department of Equality and Law Reform.
My Department will be very involved in discussions and regulations as they develop between now and the Intergovernmental Conference. Monitoring is a separate issue on which there are further questions on the Order Paper. The remarks I shall make then would apply equally here.
How much discussion has there been on the inclusion of these specific references to which the Minister has referred in the treaty? It includes the principle of equal treatment, irrespective of race, sex, age, handicap or religion, which is pertinent to the types of issues we have been discussing in relation to the Minister's Department. Has the Minister drawn up a list of priorities he perceives as being apt for inclusion?
All of those issues are of concern and importance and will be the subject of domestic legislation being prepared by my Department. The position within Europe covers a much broader area and much negotiation goes on there. The question of the amendment of the treaty on these issues, as suggested by the European Parliament, has not yet reached the point at which it could be discussed by Government — it has not yet evolved to that extent — and has yet to be considered by the Council of Ministers and the Commission. Drafts may be produced and may be varied. My Department is represented on the Interdepartmental European Co-ordination Committee chaired by the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Gay Mitchell. In coming months the Intergovernmental Conference subgroup of that committee will be considering fundamental human rights, including amendments to the treaty. My Department will be represented on issues of relevance to it. A good deal of discussion and evolution is yet to take place. These are issues which form the basis, broadly speaking, of matters being dealt with by my Department. I will be broadly supportive of them but it is early days yet. We must first ascertain what kinds of amendments ultimately emerge at European Union level which will then be discussed by our Government and no doubt by this House in due course.
The Minister appears to be talking in very vague terms as though this were something that would happen ten years hence whereas it is much more immediate. Resulting from the Minister's deliberations, have his officials brought particular issues to the attention of this committee chaired by the Minister of State, Deputy Gay Mitchell? Is his Department leading the way on these issues, as is its remit in Irish legislative terms?
My Department plays a key role on these issues and is represented on the Interdepartmental European Co-ordination Committee sub-group at which it will be making its views known. That is one aspect of the matter, but we must remember that we are just one member state of the European Union. No doubt there are equivalent committees in all the other member states with their input. It is early days so far as an amendment of the treaty is concerned. It is not like a draft directive, it is a major operation, necessitating extensive procedures and involving not merely the European Parliament, the only organ of the European Union which has addressed the matter so far, but the Commission and Council of Ministers who have yet to address it.
Much work needs to be done before it reaches that point. A large measure of consensus must be arrived at before this can be substantially progressed. I am broadly supportive of the objectives.
These are important issues, not dissimilar from the substantive domestic legislation in course of preparation in my Department. In a sense, therefore, our Government is giving a lead on these issues, ahead of Europe, in that we are already preparing legislation. That is not to say we do not regard these questions as of great importance within the wider European context. Since we are giving a lead by preparing legislation and implementing matters of this nature for ourselves, it follows a fortiori that we would favour their implementation within the broader European context.
