Vol. 553 No. 6
142 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the proposal to abolish the Development Council; and his views on whether the abolition of the council will be greatly to the detriment of the relationship between the European Union and the developing world. [14967/02]
The European Council meeting at Seville on 21-22 June, with a view to improving the functioning of the council in the run-up to enlargement, decided to create a new General Affairs and External Relations Council. This will deal, inter alia, with the whole of the Union's external action, including development co-operation and humanitarian aid.
While Ireland had not been pressing for change in this area, the integration of development issues into the agenda for the new council is acceptable to us, for a number of reasons. Very importantly, in Ireland's view, the change allows for development Ministers to participate as full members of the new council when development matters are to be discussed, and that agendas and the organisation of proceedings will be adjusted accordingly.
Dealing with development issues at the regular meetings of the new Council, rather than, as previously, at the twice yearly meetings of the Development Council, will ensure greater attention to development policy in general and the paramount objective of poverty eradication. The new approach will also give greater coherence to the EU's foreign, development and trade policies. For example, the treatment of cross-cutting issues such as conflict prevention, human rights and poverty reduction to which Ireland attaches high priority should benefit from this more coherent approach.
