Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Apr 1996

Vol. 464 No. 4

Written Answers. - EU Representation.

Noel Davern

Question:

53 Mr. Davern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the efforts, if any, he has made to ensure that the proposal before the Intergovernmental Conference regarding limiting the number of MEPs does not affect our current percentage representation in the European Parliament. [8337/96]

Noel Davern

Question:

55 Mr. Davern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the actions, if any, he intends to take during Ireland's Presidency of the EU to ensure that smaller countries will continue to be represented by a Commissioner. [8339/96]

Noel Davern

Question:

66 Mr. Davern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the British White Paper on European Union which proposes two different gradings of Commissioners with voting powers for larger countries and non-voting powers for smaller countries. [8395/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 55 and 66 together.

The Intergovernmental Conference, which will consider amendments to the European Union treaties, was launched on the occasion of the Turin European Council on 29 March. Chairing the Intergovernmental Conference during the second half of the year will be one of the main priorities of the Irish Presidency.

The composition of the European Commission is one of the issues which will arise at the Intergovernmental Conference and indeed may fall for reexamination from time to time. The recently approved White Paper on Foreign Policy makes clear the Government's strongly held view that Ireland could not countenance losing the right to nominate a full member of the European Commission. To deprive member states of the automatic right to nominate a Commissioner far from making the Commission more efficient would make it less efficient in its essential role of protecting the common interest and in retaining public support for its central role, which Ireland fully supports, in the process of European integration. Any changes to the Treaty must, of course, be agreed unanimously.

The British White Paper on the Intergovernmental Conference, a Partnership of Nations, sets out the overall British strategy for the conference. It deals with a range of issues including the number of Commissioners. In that context, the British White Paper mentions a number of options which might be considered in the context of further enlargements of the Union, including the possibility of a two-tier Commission. As the Government has stated in the Irish White Paper on Foreign Policy, the further enlargement of the Union must not be used as an excuse to call into question the delicate institutional balances, including the balances between the member states, which represent the Union's most important achievement and resource. The Government's firm view is that the further enlargement of the Union should not have any implications for the right of every member state to nominate a full member of the European Commission. We consider that it would, however, be appropriate for the large member states to agree in the context of further enlargement to nominate only one member of the Commission. I therefore welcome the view expressed by the Commission itself in its opinion on the Intergovernmental Conference that, in the context of enlargement, the number of its members should be reduced to one per member state.

As regards the European Parliament, there is a broad view emerging that a ceiling should be placed on the membership of the Parliament and that the size of the Parliament cannot be allowed to grow with each successive enlargement. A figure of 700 members has been mentioned as appropriate. This approach is likely to mean a reduction in the number of MEPs from each existing member state. Our firm view is that the smaller member states must continue to have an adequate level of representation in the Parliament.

Noel Davern

Question:

54 Mr. Davern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the action, if any, he proposes to take during Ireland's Presidency of the EU to correct the perception that the Union has grown away from the principle of national parliaments being the immediate representatives of the citizens. [8338/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

I do not share the perception that the European Union has grown away from the principle that national parliaments are the immediate representatives of the citizens. At Governmental level in Ireland, it is fair to say that the trend in recent years has been of a greater awareness of the important role the Oireachtas has to play in European Union affairs in general and in ensuring that the Union remains close to its citizens in particular. A similar trend towards the better involvement of national parliaments has been evident also in many other member states of the European Union.

The members of the European Council and the Council of Ministers remain responsible to their national parliaments. Irish Ministers report to the Oireachtas on the work of Council, answer parliamentary questions and participate in debates on EU issues. In addition, the treaties provide for ratification procedures involving national parliaments inter alia for any new Treaty amendments, accession of new member states and changes to the system of own resources. National parliaments have played, and will continue to play a significant role in the European Union in vetting the primary and secondary legislation of the Union.

Since 1973, when Ireland joined the EEC, the Oireachtas has always had a committee devoted to European affairs. The experience gained from the establishment of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs in April 1993 was built on by the establishment of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs in March of last year. As a Vice-President of the joint committee, the Deputy will be aware that together with the members of the Dáil and the Seanad who make up the Joint Committee on European Affairs, all MEPs elected from the island of Ireland can attend meetings of the Joint Committee as non-voting members. Other members of the European Parliament may, on invitation, attend meetings of the Joint Committee. In addition, there have been eleven ministerial appearances before the committee to date.

The establishment of the Joint Committee on European Affairs can be seen in the context of Declaration 13 of the Treaty on European Union, which states that "it is important to encourage greater involvement of national parliaments in the activities of the European Union". The greater involvement of national parliaments has also been fostered through the establishment at Union level of COSAC — the Conference of European Affairs Committees. COSAC, which comprises delegations from the European Affairs Committees from the national parliaments of each of the member states, meets once each Presidency to discuss issues of importance on the Union agenda. Ireland will host a meeting of COSAC during our Presidency on 15-16 October next. Regular meetings of the Presidents of the Parliaments of the member states also take place on issues of importance on the European Union agenda. Ireland is represented at these meetings by the Ceann Comhairle. Meetings of the chairs of the foreign affairs committees of the member states also take place, although on a less frequent basis.

The European Union is paying particular attention to ensure that the Union of the future remains close to its citizens. Ensuring that the Union remains relevant and responsive to the needs of its citizens will be an important focus for Ireland's Presidency of the European Union in the second half of this year.

It is also one of the underlying objectives of the Intergovernmental Conference, which Ireland will chair during its Presidency, to agree measures to make Europe more relevant to its citizens. The White Paper on Foreign Policy makes it clear that the Government's priority will be to ensure that, to as great an extent as possible, the Treaty changes agreed at the Intergovernmental Conference make the Union and its institutions more responsive to real public concerns.

The Government is convinced that while respecting the independent competences of the European institutions, the Dáil and Seanad will continue to play a very important role in ensuring that the Union remains close to its citizens in Ireland.