John Bruton
Question:5 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the communications, if any, he has had with the new Prime Minister of Croatia, Mr. Racan. [4851/00]
Ceisteanna – Questions. - Official Engagements.
John Bruton
Question:6 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the preparatory meetings, if any, he will have prior to his attendance at the Special European Council on Employment in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March 2000; if he has received an agenda for the meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4852/00]
John Bruton
Question:7 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the preparatory meetings, if any, he will have prior to his attendance at the EU-Africa Summit in Cairo on 3 and 4 April 2000; if he has received an agenda for the meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4853/00]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:8 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the terms of the letter he sent to Commissioner Prodi and members of the European Council on the matter of the spread of HIV-AIDS, particularly in Africa; the replies, if any, he has received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5089/00]
John Bruton
Question:9 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the official engagements he undertook on 17 February 2000 on his visit to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5811/00]
John Bruton
Question:10 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the letter he sent recently to the President of the European Commission, Mr. Prodi, and members of the European Council on the spread of HIV-AIDS in Africa. [5897/00]
John Bruton
Question:11 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if the programme for his visits to East Timor, Australia and the USA has been finalised; the means of transport he will use for the trip; the size of his travelling party; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5903/00]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:12 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach his priorities for the forthcoming Special European Council in Lisbon; the preparatory meetings, if any, he will have with other EU leaders in advance of the summit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5925/00]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:13 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach his priorities for the forthcoming EU-Africa summit in Cairo; the preparatory meetings, if any, he will have with other EU or African leaders in advance of the summit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5926/00]
John Bruton
Question:14 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach when the Ministers and Secretaries Group last met; the meetings it will have in 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6028/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 14, inclusive, together.
I have not yet had any communications with Mr. Ivico Racan, the new Croatian Prime Minister, who has been in office for just over a month.
The programme for my visit to East Timor is still being finalised, but I expect to meet the Special Representative of the Secretary General, Mr. Sergio de Mello, and other UN figures as well as East Timorese leaders, Mr. Xanana Gusmao, and Mr. Jose Ramos Horta. A very important element of my visit will be a meeting with the Irish troops who are serving in East Timor with UNTAET. I will also meet Irish NGO workers in Dili.
In Australia, I will meet the Governor General, Sir William Deane, and Prime Minister John Howard, as well as regional political and business leaders in the Northern Territories, Victoria and New South Wales. I have a number of economic engagements in Melbourne and Sydney to discuss trade, investment and tourism matters. I will inaugurate the new Ireland House in Sydney and will meet the governors of the Australian Ireland Fund after delivering an address on Northern Ireland at the University of New South Wales. I will also meet representatives of the Irish community in each city I visit.
I will travel to Australia by scheduled airline, accompanied by six officials. A small number of support staff will travel in advance to finalise arrangements, particularly with regard to East Timor. Due to the lack of scheduled air transport to East Timor, our party of seven will travel by chartered plane to Dili from Darwin. The Australian government will supply our transport within Australia. I will travel with a party of six by scheduled flights from Sydney to Los Angeles.
The programme for my visit to the US is being finalised. I will travel from Los Angeles to Washington and back to Dublin by Government jet.
On 17 February last, at the invitation of the world-wide President of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, I attended the CIPFA Annual Dinner in the Savoy Hotel, London. The dinner was attended by approximately 300 public finance and financial services agency personnel, including UK local and central government personnel, Welsh and Scottish Assembly representatives and representatives from the European Federation of Accountancy bodies.
I met Prime Minister Guterres last night as part of his tour of capitals to discuss the content of the Special European Council which is taking place in Lisbon on 23-24 March. The Cabinet Committee on EU Affairs has already discussed the summit in detail at its last meeting on 8 February. No formal agenda has been made available in advance of the summit but in addition to my meeting Prime Minister Guterres, a series of correspondence papers and meetings have taken place between the Presidency and partners, including two special preparatory meetings in Lisbon and Brussels of Prime Ministers' representatives. Officials from my Department have held discussions around the general themes of employment, social exclusion and knowledge and innovation in the information society with visiting Portuguese, UK and Swedish delegations. I also hope to have my usual pre-summit meeting with Prime Minister Blair immediately in advance of Lisbon.
In addition to the focus on employment, it is likely that other matters of a current nature will be discussed at the summit, and that the Presidency will wish to update partners on the Intergovernmental Conference and CFSP developments, both of which will be discussed in more detail at the June meeting of the European Council. An opportunity to review progress on the Charter of Fundamental Rights will also be available.
At my meeting with Prime Minister Guterres, I outlined our belief in the need for a multi-faceted approach at Lisbon to the new challenges presented by the information society to create quality and sustainable employment in an econ omy. Ireland broadly shares the objectives set forth by the Presidency, particularly as regards greater economic policy co-ordination and accelerating structural reform. I am glad to see the emphasis on pulling together the various processes which impact in this area.
I emphasised to the Prime Minister that I would like Lisbon deliver in terms of process as I have mentioned but also in terms of product. By this I mean concrete initiatives such as the proposed charter for small business and the high level working group on social protection. I also hope Lisbon can produce longer term strategic messages about the competitiveness of Europe, particularly as regards the integration of e-commerce and new technologies into every facet of commercial life. I informed the Prime Minister that a national response from Ireland to the Presidency paper on the summit would be available shortly.
As I have previously indicated to the House, the Cabinet Committee on European Affairs has replaced the Ministers' and Secretaries General Group and will continue to meet monthly to discuss key issues on the EU agenda. The next meeting will be immediately in advance of my departure for the summit. I expect this meeting will also consider preparations for the Euro-African Cairo Summit which is scheduled to take place on 3 and 4 April. It has been agreed that the agenda for the first summit between the Heads of State or Government of the European Union and Africa will include economic and social, political and development issues. Preparatory meetings at official level are ongoing and I continue to follow developments closely. The summit is a historic and constructive step in the development of the EU's future relations with Africa. It will provide an excellent opportunity to further enhance the close links that already exist between us and develop our partnership for the future in a positive way.
Following my visit to Lesotho and South Africa, I wrote to the President of the Commission and to members of the European Council in January proposing that the EU and the member states should explore what additional steps might be taken to address the challenge of HIV-AIDS in Africa. My letter mentioned that this year the Commission would assess the operations, financed under the existing Community regulations on HIV-AIDS, in developing countries. This assessment should provide a useful opportunity to revitalise the EU's approach to this issue. It will also be necessary to explore the scope for greater collective action by the EU and the member states and to review the level of resources currently committed to the fight against HIV-AIDS. My letter also raised the issue of access by the affected developing countries to generic rather than branded medicines for the treatment of AIDS at reasonable cost. I have also raised the matter with Commissioner Byrne.
Since January there have been informal official level contacts with President Prodi's office and with the relevant directorates in the Commission. I understand the Commission is preparing a comprehensive and detailed response to my initiative which has been positively received. I expect a formal reply from the Commission will be received this week.
At the informal meeting of the Development Ministers in Lisbon on 27-28 January, Ireland raised the issue of the fight against AIDS. We again suggested that the Commission and the member states should consider how best the EU could collectively assist the most affected countries. Our intervention was received warmly and the Development Ministers singled out the HIV-AIDS issue as one of central importance to the future of development.
It is also worth noting that, in preparation for the forthcoming Euro-African Cairo summit, EU member states including Ireland, are identifying the fight against HIV-AIDS as a priority for discussion with our African partners. This summit will provide a useful forum for a further expression of the international solidarity which is essential if the spread of HIV-AIDS is to be checked and those infected are to receive treatment.
In the coming weeks, we will continue to work with the Commission and with the member states with a view to promoting a more concerted and visible approach by the EU in the fight against the spread of HIV-AIDS in developing countries. Given the importance of the issue, I have suggested that, if necessary, it might be discussed at a future meeting of the European Council.
Does the Taoiseach agree with the position taken by the Portuguese Presidency that there should be no early restoration of normal diplomatic relations between the other 14 member states and Austria, notwithstanding the resignation of Mr. Jörg Haider as leader of the Freedom Party?
After the Cabinet meeting today I tried to assess what is being said around Europe. I discussed the matter briefly last night with Prime Minister Guterres. Mr. Haider's decision was a surprise and the general view is that people should wait to hear the reasons for his resignation. Personally, I welcome any reduction of Mr. Haider's influence, although we will have to wait to see the broader political picture. It is a change that he is no longer leader of the party and my quick assessment is that it should make a difference. However, as of this morning, member states are waiting to see the implications.
Does the Taoiseach agree with the position taken by the Portuguese Presidency that the key issue was not the personality of Mr. Haider but the nature of his party? If that is the case, what are the changes in the nature of the party that the Taoiseach wishes to see before he regards that party as an acceptable participant in the government of a member state?
I have taken the view from the start that the Austrian administration should be judged on its policies, declarations and actions.
The Taoiseach is not doing that.
I still believe that. I do not want to repeat what was said about this two weeks ago, but limited action was taken by member states. Some wished to take stronger action but Prime Minister Guterres managed to secure a compromise under which limited action was taken.
The key issue will be how this government performs. In discussions with representatives of other countries I have continually made the point that the Austrian Government was asked by other states and by the Austrian President to include human rights issues in its preamble to government. It has done that. It had not intended to do it but it was pressured by the Austrian President. The coalition government agreed without much persuasion in the end, having resisted it for some weeks in the negotiation process.
Mr. Haider has now resigned as the party leader and people are waiting to see the reasons for his resignation, the broader political issues and the influence he retains. I detect that a number of countries are reluctant to continue an enormous diplomatic battle with the Austrians but they are anxious to wait and see what happens.
Does the Taoiseach agree that what is at issue here is the existence of a far right party invited into Government by the Christian Democratic Party in Austria whose views, notwithstanding the individual views of Mr. Haider, are inimical to the values espoused by the European Union? Does he agree the resignation of Mr. Haider and his affirmation today, as reported in the media, that he intends to continue to play a major role in national politics in Austria changes very little other than the cosmetics of the situation? Can the Taoiseach give an undertaking that he will continue to support the actions of the other 13 members of the European Union in respect of the sanction on the Austrian Government until such time as we are satisfied that by its deeds, rather than by its proclamations, it espouses fully the values of the European Union?
That is the decision. In reply to Deputy Bruton, we will have to see if the members of the European Community see this as a significant move. We heard rumours of his resignation at the start of the meeting with Prime Minister Guterres last night and they were more or less confirmed by the end of the meeting. Prime Minister Guterres was very surprised at the move as it was not something the Presidency believed would happen. It will be seen as significant but it will not change the position until people are satisfied that its policies, declarations and actions comply—
Does the Government support that?
Yes.
Does the Taoiseach agree that the precedent set by the European Union in imposing sanctions against countries about which there are doubts about human rights abuses and xenophobic policies is a welcome advance? Does he agree that any such approach should be done on a uniform basis across all countries and not just in the case of smaller ones? Does he agree that one of the leading countries in advocating the most severe action in this instance was France? In light of that, is he aware that France is the only country in the European Union which has refused to accept a decision by the European Court of Human Rights in respect of an Algerian man who has been jailed for life? The man was not represented in the court and was sanctioned without his lawyer being present, and for the past two and a half years France has refused to recognise the decision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Does the Taoiseach agree that if there is to be consistency in the pursuit of human rights, countries such as France, and other big countries, should be sanctioned also for their failures in practical cases concerning immigrants? This case involves an immigrant who was sentenced to life imprisonment, without him or his lawyer being present, against the decision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. In such circumstances, France should also be the subject of a sanction. The European Union should be uniform in pursuing rigorously the issue of human rights in all countries. Is the Taoiseach aware that France is the only member of the Council of Europe which refuses to accept the finding of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in a human rights case?
Deputy Bruton has made his point. I am not aware of the details of that case.
The Algerian man's name is Abedelhamid Hakkar.
While it is unusual and there could be implications with what the members of the European Community did, the policies articulated by Mr. Haider and others were in breach of the treaties and because of that there was no alternative but for member states to set down what they consider to be markers. I agree with the Deputy that the French were the driving force behind this but, having said that, we cannot ignore the abuse of human rights.
Limited action was taken in this case and that is consistent with standing by the elements of the Treaty. If the Austrian Administration follows what it has inserted in the preamble to its programme for Government, which I hope it does, there should not be a difficulty. If it does not, then Article 6 will have to be examined by the Union. Let us look at it the other way around. What if nothing was put forward and the Austrian Administration had continued without the preamble? Some Austrian administrative officials might see it as unfair but outside pressure over that weekend led by the Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Guterres, who took a balanced view having sounded out all 14 member states, strengthened the hand of the President to include European humanitarian policies in the preamble. That was the correct course of action.
On a separate but ultimately related matter, during the Taoiseach's proposed visit to Australia, does he intend to discuss with the Australian authorities their long experience in managing an immigration policy to address skills shortages in the domestic labour market, especially in light of the multicultural programme which they now run in that area? Is that matter a subject for discussion? If the Taoiseach learns anything, is he likely to convey it to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform?
Yes, is the answer to all those questions. I will spend some hours talking to the Department, Ministers and people involved in that area. I will try to learn from their long experience in this area.
Regarding the case of an Algerian man who was sentenced in abstentia and without legal representation to life imprisonment, given that this is a unique case of a country defying the Council of Europe in which Ireland is now President of the Committee of Ministers and that the man in question is now on hunger strike in France and is likely to die, will the Taoiseach agree, if he is satisfied that the facts and the case are accurately described by me, which I assure him they are, to take up the matter with the French Prime Minister, Mr. Jospin, a socialist, and with President Chirac, an RPR representative, so that both can show their commitment to human rights is universal and that they are committed to human rights in France as well as in other parts of Europe?
I do not have any knowledge of the case, but Deputy Bruton seems certain of his facts.
They have been confirmed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen.
I will raise the matter with the Minister, Deputy Cowen, who is President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and we will see what we can do about it.
In the event that France fails to respond positively, will the Taoiseach consider similar sanctions being applied to France, which is a large country, to show that seriousness is attached to deeds as well as promises of future deeds? This is a defiance of the Council of Europe in a specific case and is different from what people might advocate in future.
I will have the matter checked out. I want to know the facts before I say what I will do. We will take it up through the Council of Europe.
I thank the Taoiseach.
In respect of questions relating to the issue of AIDS in Africa and the Taoiseach's recent experience in Lesotho and South Africa, has he had any response to the correspondence he described in his first reply and, irrespective of what that response might be, does the Government, through its overseas development co-operation programmes, intend to initiate any bilateral programmes to deal with this issue?
Regarding Deputy Quinn's earlier question about immigration policy, I have a list of events which I will forward to him.
I have had a number of discussions with Commissioner Byrne and his officials. There are three parts to the process of which I would like to think my initiative in taking up the issue is a central part. There is much activity in this area. There is great concern about the HIV-AIDS issue which has recently been discussed by the UN. I brought the content of our discussion in this House on the drugs issue to the attention of the Commission which is putting together a comprehensive reply to the points made. It is also looking at the report of my visit to Lesotho and South Africa.
We have published the HIV-AIDS strategy for the Ireland Aid Programme. It contains excellent documents and reports which set out in great detail what we should be doing. It deals with the issue in three central ways: the institutional response – to improve the awareness, responsiveness and effectiveness of Ireland Aid to HIV-AIDS as a development issue; the broad-based response – to protect the existing social economic development gains from the adverse effect of HIV-AIDS and to promote further development in these areas; and the specific response – to support sectoral policy programme activities which impact on the epidemic in the national community at individual level. The programme will feed directly into the areas being assisted by Ireland Aid, primarily, sub-Saharan Africa where the problem is greatest. Of the 33 million people in the world who have AIDS, 67% of them live in the African region. The majority of such people are under 24 years of age. The NGOs are focusing on the programme and trying to assist people in the three categories mentioned. We will also be increasing our resources for that programme.
Ireland Aid, as good as it is, will have to work in tandem with the UN programme. I am trying to focus the discussions of the Cairo summit on the HIV-AIDS issue. We must not speak of economic development and other issues alone. We must recognise that 2.5 million people in Africa died of AIDS last year. That is a far greater number of people than those who died as a result of wars or from malaria. We must focus on that issue and I will attempt to do so at the forthcoming summit.
May I take it that, in addition to the documentation to which the Taoiseach referred, from which he quoted, the Government is contemplating an additional allocation of resources to the programme based on his experience while visiting Lesotho and South Africa and the subsequent correspondence which he sent to the President of the Commission, Mr. Prodi, and others?
That is what we are endeavouring to do. The reports prepared by the AIDS section of the Department of Foreign Affairs were not related to my visit but were related to work it is undertaking in particular areas. I do not know if Members have had an opportunity to look at the report, which is a very detailed policy of the Ireland Aid programme from the experience of Irish NGOs and Irish religious groups working on the front line not only in South Africa, Mozambique and other centres but in all the sub-Saharan regions. We are eminently in a good position to at least state the policy. We cannot resolve the matter.
Deputy Higgins was supported by everybody when he raised the drugs issue on a previous occasion. I am endeavouring to get the UN to encourage pharmaceutical companies to change their rules and regulations to allow them to assist in this problem which is out of control. I gave statistics earlier of the number of people who have died. Despite development aid in health care and child care and trying to improve the mortality of young people, the average age of death was reduced by 17 years in the 1990s alone. There is a crisis in sub-Saharan Africa and the Cairo summit should be used to focus on it.
There are approximately 20 million people in sub-Saharan Africa with AIDS and approximately ten million children die annually in the Third World from easily preventable diseases. Has consideration been given to bypassing the annual Estimates procedure and legislating for Ireland to meet the 0.7% GNP contribution to development aid as set down by the UN?
That is not envisaged at this stage. However, we envisage developing a multiannual programme which will bring us to 0.45% in the short-term and to our UN commitment in the long-term. I recently outlined what that means in money terms. We need to get to 0.45% as quickly as possible.
(Dublin West): Will the Taoiseach use the Cairo platform to publicly challenge the multinational drug companies because of their stranglehold on drugs which could alleviate the suffering to which he referred? It would be important to do so for the sake of the people who are suffering and dying.
Does the Taoiseach believe the EU's policy towards Austria will be an important feature of the special European Council? Does he agree that the EU is guilty of monumental hypocrisy in relation to the reactionary blue black coalition Government in Austria when the policies of many EU states mirror the incoming Austrian Government's policies in terms of privatisation programmes, cuts in public spending, attacks on pension rights of working people and immigration policies? I know Deputy John Bruton would not like me to use anything he says to back him up.
The Deputy is not wrong. He can dress it up in different clothes.
(Dublin West): Does the Taoiseach agree that what Deputy John Bruton said about France bears that out? The EU's hypocrisy has given rise to resentment in Austria. The only way to deal with Haider is by means of the 100,000 to 300,000 people who marched on the streets of Vienna on 19 February and the ongoing daily protests by workers and young people.
Does the Taoiseach agree that racist statements made recently by Mr. Haider about the Turkish minority in Austria closely mirror statements made by one or two of his own backbenchers in the past 12 months? Will he condemn those statements as readily as he condemns Mr. Haider?
The Deputy is right.
A number of proposals were presented to deal with the HIV-AIDS issue, including the possibility of establishing an international fund to purchase drugs and the establishment of a tripartite dialogue between donors, beneficiaries and private industry, including pharmaceutical companies, to provide a method of delivering the drugs to those who most need them. There is a strong case for the pharmaceutical companies to examine their commercial and intellectual property and to reduce the cost of these drugs to allow the poorest victims access to them.
Articles 5 and 6 of the Treaty of Europe are clear. Racist policies which are against human rights are not consistent with what the Community stands for. That is the reason Mr. Haider's policies were condemned. I do not recall hearing anyone, not least in this House, make the type of statements made by Mr. Haider. I do not know if the Deputy has read any of his speeches, but I could give him some of them. They are not the type of speeches or statements that might be made here from time to time.
(Dublin West): Except what was said about the Turkish people.
I understand from the Taoiseach's reply that he will be travelling to Dili in East Timor. Do I anticipate that he will be announcing a substantial and sustained aid programme for that emerging state, which is at the stage where it can organise its own affairs? If so, when will details of the substantial Irish contribution be known?
We have already agreed in principle to open an office in Dili which will have to be resourced. We put in money last year. The Irish NGOs there wish to meet me to put their case. We cannot open the office and put in the facilities without resources and we will have to see what will be required. In principle we have made the decision to do that. The NGOs have also given me details of some other requests.
I spoke last night to the Portuguese Prime Minister, Mr. Antonio Guterres, who has made an enormous contribution in terms of manpower. The Portuguese are very appreciative of the interest and the sustained effort and involvement of this country, and he is urging people to assist. The distance is long and the costs are fairly excessive because of the circumstances, but they are absolutely necessary. We will have to see what resources will be needed but I will undertake that mission.
I do not doubt the commitment of the Taoiseach and the previous Minister for Foreign Affairs. The people of East Timor were given a considerable indication by the Irish Government to pursue their dream of independence. Would the Taoiseach now not recognise that it is incumbent on him, as Taoiseach, to outline very clearly what the Irish Government intends to do rather than hearing the views of the NGOs? Is there a plan in Iveagh House as to what kind of assistance will be made available, the level at which that will be kept, the duration and the amount of money and resources that are required?
That was already done in the preliminary stage, when the Australian forces went in last year. Now it is a different situation. UNTAET is now in place. We did it last year when both Jose Ramos-Horta and Xanana Gusmao visited me and requested it, but now things have moved on and there are new requests. They certainly want a base and Irish people there. They still want our military personnel there along with the Rangers. We will have to assess what they require. The plans which Deputy David Andrews discussed on two occasions last year were implemented but that was not a commitment on an ongoing basis. There was a decision in principle to open a base in Dili. We have to honour that decision, resource it and staff it. Our NGOs have been around the region. I do not know precisely what the demands are at this stage but I will next week.