Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Oct 2000

Vol. 523 No. 1

Written Answers. - International Agreements.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

303 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the proposed international multilat eral agreements under the auspices of her Department being negotiated or prepared; the international organisation, if any, in each case through whose machinery the agreement is being negotiated; if it is proposed to ratify or accede to the agreement, if adopted; if so, if legislation will be required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19543/00]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke):

The information sought by the Deputy is in the following schedule.

Department of Public Enterprise

International Multilateral Agreements Under Negotiation

No.	Agreement	InternationalOrganisationResponsible	Current Status
1	Negotiations between the European Union and the United States of America in the field of air transport.	EU	The EU Commission has a limited mandate from the Council for the negotiation of a common aviation area between the EU and the US. Discussions on this matter are continuing at Transport Council. Implementing legislation will not be required.
2	Agreement for the establishment of European Aviation Safety Authority	EU	Ireland is a signatory to arrangements concerning the development, acceptance and implementation of Joint Aviation Requirements of the Joint Aviation Authorities of Europe (JAA) being the associated body of the European Civil Aviation Conference of 38 Member States concluded in Cyprus on 11 September 1990. Formalisation of these arrangements by means of an international convention was put on hold in view of proposals put forward by the EU Commission for the establishment of a European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA). The EU Transport Council approved a mandate in June 1998 for the negotiation of the EASA. In June 2000 the EU Transport Council requested the Commission to bring forward a Resolution setting up EASA as a Community Agency. The proposals from the Commission are awaited. It is not expected that implementing legislation will be required
3	Negotiations on air transport market access agreements between the European Union and Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia in the field of air transport.	EU	Ultimate objective is for a common aviation area between the EU and these countries. Agreements are being negotiated by the European Commission with the individual States. Negotiations are ongoing. Implementing legislation will not be required.
4	Transport negotiations with Switzerland.	EU	The EU Commission is currently in negotiation with the Swiss authorities for the establishment of a common transport area between the EU and Switzerland. Implementing legislation will not be required.
5	Comprehensive Plan for the privatisation of INTELSAT	International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation	The precise mechanism for the privatisation has yet to be decided but it is likely that Ireland will have to address the issue of ratifying proposed amendments to the INTELSAT Convention following a meeting in November, 2000. Implementing legislation will not be required.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

304 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the international multilateral agreements under the auspices of her Department which have not been signed by the State; the date and place it was opened for signature in each case; the international organisation, if any, through whose machinery the agreement was negotiated; if it is proposed to sign the agreement; if so, when; if legislation is required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19558/00]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke):

The information sought by the Deputy is in the following schedule.

International Multilateral Agreements which have not been signed by Ireland

International Agreement	InternationalOrganisationResponsible	Place and Date ofOpening for signature	Ireland's position
1.Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy.	OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).	Paris, 29 July, 1960.	To date, Ireland has not seen it appropriate to sign up to this Agreement as Ireland is not satisfied with certain aspects of its content. The matter of Ireland signing up to this Agreement is being kept under review having regard to other nuclear safety international instruments and proposed revision of nuclear liability conventions.
2.Brussels Supplementary Convention	OECD-NEA	Brussels, 21 May, 1963.	Ditto.
3.Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage.	International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).	Vienna, 21 May 1963.	Ditto.
4.Joint Protocol relating to the application of the Vienna Convention and the Paris Convention.	NEA and IAEA.	Vienna, 21 September, 1988.	Ditto.
5.Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage.	IAEA.	Vienna, 29 September, 1997.	Ditto.
6.Protocol to amend Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage.	IAEA.	Vienna, 29 September, 1997.	Ditto.
7.Tampere Convention on the provision of Telecommunications Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations.	United Nations	New York, 18 June, 1998.	The Tampere Convention is currently the subject of discussion of a European Council Working Group which is examining the Commission's view that the Convention be amended to permit the European Community, as an international organisation, to become a party to the Convention. It is intended to await the outcome of these developments before addressing the issue of ratification.
8.Convention for the establishment of the European Telecommunications Office	European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT)	1 September 1996 (copy to be signed in each CEPT State).	It is not proposed to sign this Convention until the future status of the Organisation, which is currently being debated, is resolved.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

305 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the international multilateral agreements under the auspices of her Department which have been signed but not ratified or acceded to by the State; the date and place it was opened for signature in each case; the international organisation, if any, through whose machinery the agreement was negotiated; if it is proposed to ratify or accede to the agreement; if so, when; if legislation is required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19573/00]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke):

The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following schedule.

Department of Public Enterprise

International Multilateral Agreements Signed But Not Ratified or Acceded To

No.	Agreement	InternationalOrganisationResponsible	Place and Dateof Signature	Ireland's Position
1.	1994 Congress of the Universal Postal Union (certain Acts thereof)	Universal Postal Union	Seoul, Korea,14 September 1994.	Ratification is proposed during 2000. No legislation is required.
2.	Eurocontrol Convention on co-operation in air navigation.	Eurocontrol	Brussels,27 June 1997.	Legislation to ratify is being prepared in Department.
No.	Agreement	InternationalOrganisationResponsible	Place and Dateof Signature	Ireland's Position
3.	Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management	International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).	Vienna, 29 September,1997.	Ireland intends to ratify the Convention. The ratification process should be completed by the end of the year. No legislation is required.
4.	Protocol Additional to the Agreement between the Non-Nuclear Weapons States of the European Atomic Energy Community and the International Atomic Energy Agency in implementation of Article III (1) and (4) of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.	IAEA	Vienna, 22 September,1998.	Ireland intends to ratify the Convention. The necessary legislation for Ireland to ratify the Convention has been passed by the Seanad and is expected to go through the Dail during this Dail session.
5.	Montreal Convention on the modernisation of the ‘Warsaw System'	International Civil Aviation Organisation	Montreal,28th May, 1999.	Ireland signed the Montreal Convention in August, 2000. Primary legislation is now required to ratify and implement the Convention in Ireland. Draft heads of a Bill are in preparation.
6.	Resolution to amend the EUTELSAT Convention	European Telecommunications Satellite Organisation	Cardiff, May, 1999.	Ireland intends to ratify the Convention. The ratification process should be completed by early next year. No legislation is required.
7.	Protocol to the Convention concerning the International Carriage by Rail	International Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF)	Berne,December, 1990.	It is proposed to ratify the Protocol in 2001. It is not anticipated that legislation will be required in order to ratify the Protocol, but legislation may be required at a later date to put the ratification of the Protocol on a statutory basis. The advice of the Attorney General will be required in this respect.