Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 7

Written Answers. - EU Enlargement.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

264 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Finance if his Department or any Department received a request for technical or administrative assistance from the Republic of Cyprus in relation to preparing that country for full membership of the European Union in sectors such as agriculture, environment, finance and justice; if he will make space available within Departments for civil servants from the Republic of Cyprus to come here on short-term stay assignments which would assist them in developing an understanding and expertise in the administration of the European Union law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4759/99]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

I can confirm that such requests have been received by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Finance. I am not aware of direct contacts with any other Department to date.

The Secretary-General, public service management and development, in the Department of Finance met Mr. Andreas D. Mavroyiannis, the Cypriot Ambassador at his request on Tuesday, 9 February. In a wide ranging discussion, the ambassador referred to the needs of Cyprus in the context of preparing for membership of the European Union. In particular, he asked about the possibility of Irish assistance in the areas of agriculture, environment, finance and justice. He also sought assistance in arranging familiarisation visits to this country by Cypriot officials.

The Department of Finance is anxious to assist countries applying for membership of the European Union, wherever feasible. The particulars of any assistance would be a matter for each individual Department to determine taking account of the exigencies of ongoing work. For this reason the Department of Finance has written to the appropriate Departments and asked that they nominate an officer to consider the matter further and to respond directly to the ambassador. Consideration is being given by the Cypriot authorities to a more specific definition of their needs in the four areas.

On the question of familiarisation visits, I would support relevant Departments who may be able to arrange short-term visits for senior Cypriot officials and the ambassador was informed that my Department would act as a conduit for these arrangements where necessary.

Since then, on 15 February at the request of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus officials from the finance division of the Department of Finance met with the Cypriot ambassador and a representative of the Cypriot Central Bank to discuss the financial services sector and in particular the transposing of EU directives in this area into national legislation.