Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Nov 2002

Vol. 557 No. 2

Written Answers. - EU Conventions.

Ciarán Cuffe

Question:

134 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the defence working group on the Convention on the Future of Europe. [20547/02]

The defence working group was established as part of the "second wave" of working groups of the convention. It has so far met six times. The mandate for the working group specified that it was to consider the Unions role in the field of security and defence and, in particular, whether there is support for developing this role beyond the arrangements agreed at Amsterdam.

Membership of convention working groups is drawn from representatives of Governments, national parliaments and members of the European Parliament. Deputy Gormley and Proinsias De Rossa, MEP, are both parliamentary members of the defence working group, which is chaired by the regional policy commissioner, Michel Barnier, who is a member of the praesidium of the convention. The Government is not represented on this group.

There will a further three meetings of this working group, including one joint session with the external action working group, before it produces a report. It is expected that this report will be considered by the plenary of the convention in December. Given the complex nature of the issue involved it seems unlikely that the group will be able to arrive at clear recommendations. Documents submitted to the defence working group are available on the convention website.

Question No. 135 answered with Question No. 66.

Top
Share