Written Answers - Intergovernmental Conference.
Seamus Brennan
Question:
44
Mr. S. Brennan
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs
if he will initiate a debate on the proposed restructuring of the EU; and if he will outline clearly all its implications for Ireland and Europe.
[1092/96]
Robert Molloy
Question:
45
Mr. Molloy
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs
the preparations and likely agenda for an Intergovernmental Conference during 1996.
[2405/96]
Seamus Brennan
Question:
48
Mr. S. Brennan
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs
if he will publish the opening address to the Intergovernmental Conference two weeks prior to the beginning of the Conference to facilitate an informed debate in view of the widespread importance of European Monetary Union to this county and in view of the functioning and constitutional responsibilities of Dáil Éireann.
[1705/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 45 and 48 together.
The Intergovernmental Conference, which will consider amendments to the European Union Treaties, is due to be launched by the Heads of State or Government in Turin on 29 March 1996. The first working session of the Intergovernmental Conference at Foreign Minister level is expected to take place on the following day.
The precise agenda of the Intergovernmental Conference will be established by the Intergovernmental Conference itself. The Maastricht Treaty already identified certain items for consideration at the Intergovernmental Conference including the role of the European Parliament in the legislative process and the development of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. Subsequently, several meetings of the European Council have added further items to the agenda of the Intergovernmental Conference including institutional questions such as weighting of votes in the Council of Ministers, the threshold of qualified majority decisions, the number of members of the European Commission and any other measure deemed necessary to facilitate the work of the institutions and guarantee their effective operation in the perspective of enlargement.
The report of the Madrid European Council in December from the reflection group, which was set up to help in the preparation of the Intergovernmental Conference, gives further important indications regarding the issues likely to arise in the conference. The role of the reflection group was not, of course, to negotiate but to clarify issues and options. Its report was described by the Madrid European Council as a sound basis for the work of the Intergovernmental Conference. The reflection group concluded that results should be achieved at the Intergovernmental Conference in three main areas: making Europe more relevant to its citizens, enabling the Union to work better and preparing it for enlargement, and giving the Union greater capacity for external action. Copies of the reflection group report have been sent to all members of the Oireachtas and the Oireachtas library.
Economic and monetary union, on which the Treaty provisions are set out in the Maastricht Treaty, is not on the agenda of the forthcoming Intergovernmental Conference.
The Italian Presidency is using the period between now and the opening of the Intergovernmental Conference at the end of March to try, in so far as possible and in consultation with partners, to clarify further the agenda for the Intergovernmental Conference. Opinions are also awaited from the European Parliament and from the Commission.
The Government has sought since last year, through a series of speeches and in the context of the preparation of the forthcoming White Paper on Irish Foreign Policy, to encourage informed public debate about the issues likely to arise at the Intergovernmental Conference and their implications for Ireland and Europe.
The Government attaches great importance to the role of both Houses of the Oireachtas in helping to shape Irish policy in relation to the Intergovernmental Conference and the European Union more generally. The Government's preliminary approach to issues likely to arise at the Intergovernmental Conference has been set out on several occasions in both Houses, including by various members of the Government in reply to parliamentary questions.
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs has, of course, been kept fully informed of the work of the Intergovernmental Conference Reflection Group. The Government will continue to keep the Oireachtas regularly informed of issues arising or expected to arise at the Intergovernmental Conference and of the approach which it is intended to take. It would not, of course, be appropriate or in conformity with normal practice in Ireland or indeed any member state, to publish in advance of negotiations a statement which it is intended to make at those negotiations.
It is not possible to restate in detail today the implications for Ireland and Europe of the Intergovernmental Conference. The forthcoming White Paper on Irish Foreign Policy will set out the Government's broad approach to Intergovernmental Conference negotiations. However, the implications for both Ireland and Europe in broad terms are that the European Union must use the Intergovernmental Conference to equip itself to function more effectively, to address the most direct concerns of citizens and to facilitate the further enlargement of the European Union over the years ahead. At the same time, the Government considers that the broad institutional balances have served the Union well, are essential to its further success and must be preserved.
