Jim O'Keeffe
Question:3 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs If he will report on his recent visit to Australia. [8547/01]
Ceisteanna–Questions. Priority Questions. - Official Engagements.
I paid an official visit to Australia from 11 to 19 March at the invitation of Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. This visit was originally scheduled to take place in early February but was postponed due to discussions on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
During my visit I held talks with the Foreign Minister and a number of political leaders, including Premier Steve Bracks of Victoria, Premier Bob Carr of New South Wales, the Treasurer and Minister for Industry and Trade of South Australia, Mr. Rob Lucas, Minister Monica Gould of the Victorian Government and Mike Rann, the Opposition leader in South Australia. These discussions reflected the excellent relations between Ireland and Australia at all levels and covered a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues.
My meeting with Minister Downer provided a welcome opportunity to review our bilateral relationship across a wide range of areas of mutual interest and our discussions were most productive. Minister Downer was very interested in the peace process and I availed of our meeting to bring him up to date on the latest developments. I also conveyed to Mr. Downer the Government's deep appreciation of the Australian Government's ongoing support for the Good Friday Agreement and, in particular, its contribution to the International Fund for Ireland since 1995.
In view of Ireland's membership of the United Nations Security Council and the importance of Australia's perspective on regional developments, I took the opportunity of the meeting with Foreign Minister Downer to discuss and hear Australia's views on the situation in East Timor, developments in China and Taiwan, Indonesia, the Korean Peninsula, the Philippines, Thailand, and the South-West Pacific, including Fiji and the Solomon Islands.
In addition, in a joint statement on 12 March, Foreign Minister Downer and I announced the establishment of the Forum for Australia-Ireland Co-operation as an important informal mechanism to assist the two Governments in deepening our bilateral relations. I believe the forum will play an important role in the further development of these relations.
During my visit to Canberra I addressed the prestigious National Press Club and attended the St. Patrick's Day reception at the Irish Embassy. I also attended a meeting in the University of Melbourne to honour the patrons of the recently established Chair of Irish Studies by a gentleman from Mayo. In Sydney, I was the keynote speaker at the annual luncheon of the Lansdowne Club, one of the key Irish business associations in Australia. I also attended a range of St. Patrick's Day related events, including Mass and the annual St. Patrick's Day Ball of the Australian Irish Society.
In all of my speaking engagements, both public and private, I took the opportunity to underline the fact that, at the time, there had been no outbreak of foot and mouth disease in our jurisdiction and to explain the stringent measures introduced to combat foot and mouth disease.
We may have an opportunity to discuss the foot and mouth aspect later.
I see benefits in ministerial and parliamentary representation abroad, particularly at a time when the Irish diaspora are celebrating St. Patrick's Day. How do the Minister and the Government establish priorities? I understand that approximately 17 Ministers and Ministers of State travelled abroad, yet there was no ministerial presence at the crucial Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Monday. That meeting was dealing with war in Macedonia, on the borders of Europe and preparing for the special summit, beginning tomorrow. The Minister may have had a reason for not attending but why was the Minister of State or some other Minister not present?
The Deputy is stretching the parameters of Question No. 3.
I am dealing essentially with the question of how does the Government establish its priorities in regard to representation abroad and how could it in any circumstance not have a ministerial presence at such a vital Foreign Affairs Council meeting of the European Union?
Not every meeting is vital but I would make the point that a permanent representative attended on that occasion. If the Deputy checks my attendance at General Affairs Council meetings, he will probably discover that I am the best attender. This is the first meeting I missed because I was on my way back from Australia.
I accept there may have been reasons the Minister could not attend the meeting but why was there no ministerial representation at what was a vital meeting given that eight of the other member states had two Ministers present when political decisions were being taken? Good and all as the permanent representative may be, he is an official. Will the Minister accept this was a serious error given that war on the borders of Europe was being discussed and a strategy was being put in place to deal with it, apart altogether from the special summit taking place in Stockholm tomorrow?
That is obviously a separate question. The Deputy should put down a separate question. The Minister wishes to report on his visit to Australia which has nothing to do with that issue.
(Interruptions.)
The General Affairs Council discussed the western Balkans for the first time last Monday.
There is a war going on there.
Of course there is. There will be a discussion on the matter at the European Council meeting which the Taoiseach and I will attend.
The preparations for which had no ministerial input.
These are ongoing issues. The Irish Government was represented properly and appropriately at the meeting. The idea that my non-attendance in any way diminished the points we wished to make on the issues is incorrect and it is erroneous to make such a suggestion. Unfortunately, I could not attend the meeting. It is probably the first meeting I have missed. This has not diminished the Government's position being articulated. The preparations for these council meetings have not been interrupted. The Cabinet sub-committee met this week and made arrangements for our preparations for the European Council meeting. Neither the Minister of State nor I could attend the meeting on this occasion but it is the only time that has happened.
Does the Minister—
If the Deputy is concerned about the issue, he should put down a direct question.