I welcome the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin, for today's discussion on the forthcoming meetings of the General Affairs Council and the Foreign Affairs Council. I invite him to make his presentation.
General Affairs and Foreign Affairs Councils: Discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs.
I welcome the opportunity to preview with members the agendas for next week's General Affairs and Foreign Affairs Councils. Under the Lisbon treaty, the General Affairs and External Relations Council was divided into two parts. I look forward to the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Monday when the new High Representative, Ms Catherine Ashton, will be in the chair. I also look forward to the meeting of the General Affairs Council which will be chaired by the Spanish Foreign Minister.
As is the traditional practice, I will refer to some of what was discussed at the December Council in Brussels before moving to the agendas for next week's meetings. The Council met for the first time in December in its new formation as the General Affairs Council. It discussed draft European Council conclusions in preparation for the European Council which met on 10 and 11 December. Spain presented the 18-month programme of the incoming trio Presidency, made up of Spain, Belgium and Hungary. The Council also considered enlargement issues, in particular those relating to Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia and Turkey.
Foreign Ministers addressed the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the context of the Camp Butmir process. There was a lengthy discussion on the position in Iran and agreement on the terms of a European Council declaration on the subject. There was also a substantial discussion of the Middle East peace process, leading to agreement on a comprehensive and robust set of Council conclusions. I will return to this matter presently. Ministers also agreed the terms of a European Council declaration on Afghanistan. The Spanish Foreign Minister briefed Ministers on the situation in Honduras following the elections on 29 November. With the new High Representative, Ms Ashton, Ministers paid tribute to the excellent work of our Swedish colleague, Mr. Carl Bildt, and the Swedish Presidency generally. I take the opportunity to record our appreciation of the exemplary way in which the Swedish Government approached its task in recent months.
I will now turn to next Monday's Council meetings at which I will represent the Government. At the General Affairs Council the Spanish chair will make a presentation on the Spanish Presidency programme. The programme is based on two cross-cutting principles, of which the first is innovation, both institutional and economic. The second is equality, both within the European Union, with a particular emphasis on gender equality, and externally, between rich and poor countries. The programme's four priorities are: full and effective application of the Lisbon treaty; economic recovery and job creation; reinforcing the role and influence of the European Union on the international stage; and citizens' rights and freedoms. Ireland welcomes the Presidency programme and wishes the Spanish Presidency every success in the coming months.
This Presidency has a special significance, being the first full Presidency since the Lisbon treaty came into force following its emphatic endorsement by the Irish people. The Spanish will, therefore, have an important transitional role as the new institutional arrangements are put into practice. The role of the rotating Presidency is changing as the President of the European Council and the High Representative assume their responsibilities. The new General Affairs Council is an important feature of the new institutional framework, particularly in the preparations for and follow-up to European Council meetings. As we look forward to Ireland's next European Presidency in the first half of 2013, we will watch with particular interest how the new institutional framework affects the rotating Presidency.
The catastrophe in Haiti has been added to the agenda for next week's Foreign Affairs Council. This builds on the meeting of the Council last Monday, at which my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, represented the Government. We will look again at the EU response to the disaster and assess how we can contribute to the overall relief effort. The situation in Haiti is desperate, with the death toll now likely to be well in excess of 100,000. The scale of the devastation is unimaginable, with the larger part of Port-au-Prince and Haiti's other main cities almost completely destroyed. Yesterday we heard of a further earthquake which has deepened the suffering of the Haitian people.
The problems of mounting a humanitarian response have been exacerbated by the almost total destruction of Haiti's infrastructure. This was a poverty-stricken country before last week's earthquake, with only the most basic transport and communications networks. The little that was in place was severely damaged, meaning the international relief effort has had to begin almost from scratch. Given that the port was left unusable, road links with the Dominican Republic are extremely poor and the airport can only handle a small number of aircraft each day, the difficulty of mounting an operation on the scale required becomes clear. That said, aid has begun to reach the local population in greater quantities in recent days. Through Irish Aid, we have managed to ship in 83 tonnes, or 16 lorry loads, of emergency materials which are being distributed by Concern and GOAL. We have provided enough materials for shelter for up to 8,000 families and to provide them with water and the basic infrastructure needed for survival. We have also disbursed funds to the World Food Programme for emergency feeding. The value of the Government response to date, both financially and in kind, is upwards of €2 million. This is in addition to the funds the United Nations is drawing down from Ireland's contribution to the central emergency response fund.
We are also providing essential skills through members of the rapid response corps who have deployed to humanitarian agencies in Haiti. An electrical engineer and an information technology expert are working with the World Food Programme and a security consultant with GOAL. Other corps members with specialised skills in engineering, logistics and water and sanitation are on stand-by and we expect them to be called upon in the coming days and weeks. The Government has also sent an Irish Aid technical team to Haiti, with support from an officer of the Defence Forces, to assess short and medium-term needs and how Ireland can best contribute to the relief operation.
Ireland's input is part of a broader EU humanitarian response of €122 million agreed at Monday's special meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. This will help to finance the immediate relief operation. The European Union will contribute a further €300 million in the medium to long term to assist the reconstruction of Haiti. It has also pledged to convene an international conference on the reconstruction of Haiti once the immediate aftermath of the disaster has run its course.
Beyond the Government and EU level response, the Irish people have demonstrated their characteristic generosity in supporting appeals from a range of NGOs and UN agencies. At all levels, Ireland is meeting its responsibility to help those in dire need. At a time of economic difficulty and hardship, it is heartening that the international community has recognised the obligation to respond to the immediate humanitarian needs of the Haitian people. Ireland will continue to participate fully in the international effort. I look forward to meeting my EU colleagues next Monday to discuss how we can best co-ordinate our response and ensure we do our utmost to assist Haiti both in the immediate term and also with a view to the long-term support needed to overcome the devastation caused by last week's earthquake.
As I mentioned, last month's final General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting saw the adoption of important and substantive conclusions by the Council on the Middle East peace process. These clearly set out the European Union's position on issues such as settlements and the continuing unacceptable blockade in Gaza. They also addressed several core issues such as Jerusalem and future borders which will need to be addressed in substantive negotiations. I again commend the Swedish Presidency on its initiative in preparing these conclusions and its handling of the subsequent negotiations. The conclusions provide a strong and principled basis for active Union engagement in support of the current United States-led efforts to relaunch peace negotiations. While the Middle East peace process will not be discussed this month, I hope that by the time of the February Council we may have a clearer idea of whether a formula can be agreed with both the Israeli and Palestinian sides that would allow peace negotiations, in some format, to resume. That certainly remains the priority.
Turning to next week's Council, Ministers will first discuss the position in Iran. Last month the European Council adopted a strongly worded declaration on Iran which, while emphasising continuing commitment to a diplomatic resolution of the concerns over that country's nuclear programme, also made it clear that time was running out and that the European Union would support a United Nations Security Council resolution imposing further measures against Iran if there was continued non-compliance on the latter's part. Since the European Council, we have all been shocked by the violent reaction of the Iranian authorities to the widely supported demonstrations which took place in Tehran and other Iranian cities on 27 December, on the occasion of the solemn Shia festival known as Ashura. The deaths and widespread detentions which took place at the time provided further proof, if such were needed, of the blatant disregard of the Iranian authorities for the human rights of their own citizens and Iran's international obligations in regard to such basic rights as freedom of expression and assembly.
The European Union is making known its serious concerns to the Iranian authorities regarding the further deterioration in the human rights situation in Iran. High representative Ashton issued a declaration on 12 January which expressed serious concern about the commencement of the trial of seven senior representatives of the Baha'i community in Iran and called for a fair, just and open trial which respected international standards. I am concerned that, in continuing unconvincingly to blame foreign agents for the public unrest which has gripped Iran since last summer, the Iranian authorities are particularly targeting the Baha'i community for further discrimination and harassment, with a further 13 Baha'is recently arrested for alleged anti-government activities. Ireland was active in promoting the declaration of 12 January and we will continue to monitor developments in the trial of the seven Baha'i representatives closely.
The tense internal situation in Iran could be aggravated further by a potential flashpoint on 11 February, when celebrations to commemorate the Islamic revolution take place. In the meantime, with the Iranian Government remaining unwilling to engage in a meaningful way on international concerns about its nuclear programme, attention is turning to the pursuit of a new UN Security Council resolution, imposing further sanctions, which would step up the pressure on Iran. The Foreign Affairs Council is likely to consider the prospects for agreeing such a resolution and also how the European Union, as stated in the European Council declaration of 11 December, can most appropriately accompany and support further action by the UN Security Council. We should wait to see how the process of negotiations getting under way in New York plays out before the European Union considers imposing further sanctions of its own against Iran. The reality, however, is that ultimately the Union may have little choice but to pursue this option if Iran continues to set its face so firmly against engagement and co-operation.
Ministers also will have an exchange of views on the political situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Members will recall that last year the Swedish Presidency, working closely with the United States, hosted a series of meetings at Camp Butmir in Sarajevo with the leaders of the three main communities. Although these talks were not successful and all the local parties were critical of the process, there were indications that each side saw value in continuing dialogue at some level. An EU-US expert group is expected to travel to Bosnia-Herzegovina next month to continue working with the parties. The Spanish Presidency is to hold a conference on the broader question of the European perspective of all western Balkan countries, probably in May.
The December Council expressed concern at the lack of progress and called on Bosnia-Herzegovina to speed up key reforms. The importance of meeting the outstanding conditionally to allow for transition to the European Union Special Representative, EUSR, was stressed. The Council also called on Bosnia-Herzegovina to make certain constitutional changes to create a functioning state. Progress is needed urgently, as the political atmosphere is expected to become more difficult in the run-up to the elections in October. There have already been tensions between the High Representative and the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska over implementation of the terms of the Dayton Agreement. Ireland supports efforts to encourage the political leadership in Bosnia-Herzegovina to achieve progress on the outstanding issues.
Transformation of the EU military Operation Althea in Bosnia-Herzegovina from a 2,000-strong executive presence to a 200-person training and support mission has been in gestation for some time. This was first formally discussed in November 2008 and considered further in November and December 2009. The January Council appears likely to approve a non-executive capacity-building and training mission, to start within the framework of the existing EU military operation. Parallel to this, Operation Althea will maintain the current executive presence in Bosnia during the course of elections planned for October this year and will remain at least until November, when the current UN Security Council resolution expires. The European Union may extend the current executive military role beyond 2010 should the situation require it and there is a new Security Council resolution to authorise this.
There is widespread agreement among EU partners and in the international community on the need to address the root causes of piracy in Somalia, which stem from the lawlessness plaguing that country. Ireland supports in principle the deployment of a Common Security and Defence Policy, CSDP, mission as part of a comprehensive approach to security sector support in Somalia, including Operation Atalanta and possible future support for the Somali police. The military training mission represents part of the European Union's response to a number of United Nations Security Council resolutions explicitly calling for support for the Somali Transitional Federal Government, TFG, and its security sector. The December Council approved further planning for the proposed one-year CSDP military mission to train up to 2,000 Somali TFG troops at a base in Uganda. The decision was taken without prejudice to a final decision on whether to decide to authorise such a mission. Next week the Foreign Affairs Council may authorise the deployment of the military training mission, although it is not envisaged that a mission would be launched before May. Ireland supports EU action to address the root causes of piracy and instability in Somalia in response to UN Security Council Resolution 1872.
I expect the focus of discussion on Afghanistan and Pakistan at next week's Council will be on the international conference on Afghanistan to be held on 28 January in London. I will attend this conference which will be jointly hosted by Afghanistan, the United Nations and the United Kingdom. It is an important and timely initiative, given the serious challenges facing Afghanistan, including the difficult security situation. The conference will bring together all the main players involved in the international effort to bring peace and stability to the country, including the UN Secretary General. President Karzai will represent the Government of Afghanistan. Next week Ministers will have a chance to exchange views on the situation in both Afghanistan and Pakistan immediately prior to the conference to discuss prospects for the conference and agree an EU approach. It will be important to aim for specific outcomes, with actions and deliverables on the part of the Afghan Government and the international community clearly set out and agreed. The urgency of achieving these outcomes in a short timeframe should also be brought out clearly.
The Council will also discuss the difficult situation in Yemen and adopt conclusions as an "A" point. There has been a heightened international focus on Yemen since the failed attempt by a Yemeni-based member of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to blow up a passenger flight to Detroit on Christmas Day. The British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown, has taken the initiative in convening an international meeting on Yemen which will take place in London on 27 January, a day ahead of the Afghanistan conference. In its conclusions the Council will welcome the convening of this meeting on Yemen. The challenges Yemen and the Government of President Saleh face are many and certainly not just confined to the area of security or combating international terrorism, important though they are. There is a long-standing need for political and economic reforms in Yemen and the creation of a proper national dialogue. The humanitarian needs are also great, particularly in those areas such as the Saada province affected by internal conflict. Irish Aid has recently provided €200,000 in response to the serious humanitarian situation in Yemen and will continue to monitor developments closely. What is most urgently required is a comprehensive strategy on the part of the international community for tackling all of Yemen's problems, not just those which have commanded public and media attention in recent weeks.
I would like to state how much I value this opportunity to brief Members of the Oireachtas on the agenda items for the General Affairs and Foreign Affairs Council meetings next week. I would welcome members' views and comments.
I thank the Minister. I should have noted that apologies had been received from Deputies Breen, Creighton, O'Rourke and Timmins, as well as Senators Donohoe, Mullen, Prendergast and Quinn. I will call on a series of speakers, Senators Cummins and Leyden and Deputies Seán Power and Treacy in that order, as well as Senator de Búrca.
I welcome the Minister. On the old General Affairs and External Relations Council, this will be the first occasion on which its bodies will have been split. Does the Minister consider the splitting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council to be a positive development?
The Spanish Presidency's priorities are outlined as being the effective application of the Lisbon treaty, reinforcing the role and influence of the European Union in the world, citizens' rights and freedoms and economic recovery and job creation. I suggest the priority of economic recovery and job creation is the only show in town and that this should be emphasised from our perspective. It should be made the first priority and I ask that this be done. I also seek the Minister's comments on the priorities of the Spanish Presidency.
Like the Minister, I compliment the Irish aid agencies such as Concern and GOAL and all other agencies present in Haiti. I also compliment the Irish personnel, including businessman Mr. Denis O'Brien, who also appear to be playing a significant role in getting aid to victims. It appears that the Americans have taken over the airport and so on, which had to be done for obvious logistical reasons. There are still concerns about the infrastructural problems outlined by the Minister and questions about aid getting to those who need it. What role is the European Union playing in ensuring significant aid gets to them and that the delays encountered can be surmounted? We did the right thing by going into the Dominican Republic and bringing truckloads from the Dominican Republic to Haiti. Perhaps the Minister can expand on this point. It seems to be improving but it is at a slow rate, even taking into consideration the logistical and infrastructure problems in the country.
We have several monitors in the Ukraine. Has a preliminary report been produced on how the election was conducted?
I welcome the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin, and his officials. I welcome the many ambassadors who take time off to come to these meetings. This is very useful from the point of view of the Minister in outlining his views and for members of this committee to have the opportunity to meet ambassadors. At the last meeting I discussed issues of mutual interest. I am impressed by the number of ambassadors who attend.
I congratulate Ms Máire Geoghegan-Quinn on being ratified as our Commissioner. She passed the hearings with flying colours and she will be an excellent Commissioner. The Minister will have regular contact with the Commissioner in the next few years.
I also commend the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, for their speedy response to the crisis in Haiti and for the fact that we have sent out 60 tonnes of emergency material, which will assist and shelter 8,000 families. We responded quickly. APSO existed in the Department of Foreign Affairs at one stage. I know the Minister sought volunteers for emergency action some time ago. Are more volunteers available to go to the site with the support of the Irish Army? I know people have been sent out to see what can be done and that representatives of the Irish Army are there. Perhaps a group can be made available to respond in a speedy manner to these international tragedies.
I commend the Americans. The Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, and President Obama have responded extremely well to the crisis in Haiti. It is a very serious situation and we will assist in any way we can. I compliment the Minister for agreeing to meet so quickly. I echo the point made by Senator Maurice Cummins that Denis O'Brien is playing a very important role in this region. He has provided employment to more than 1,000 people and has pledged $5 million in support. From an Irish point of view, it is great to see this kind of commitment and the number of volunteers who have been on the ground for some time. We recognise the contribution made by the United Nations. The personal assistant to the chief there sacrificed his life for the cause of the people of Haiti. We should also recognise this.
The priority for the meeting on Monday is this crisis but we should not lose sight of the position in Gaza and Palestine, where 1.5 million people are living in abject poverty and are deprived of all services and facilities. That crisis still remains. I watched the recent BBC documentary on Gaza and Palestine. I ask the Minister to keep up the pressure on the Israelis in this regard. There is no airport in Gaza, the port is closed, there is no access and there is no exit for their exports. It is an open prison of 1.5 million people on a very small portion of ground. I ask the Minister to keep the pressure on through the European Union. The European Union is in a far stronger position than the influence it exerts suggests. Considering the aid we give and the influence we have in that region, we should be more effective on the ground.
I believe Croatia's prospective accession to the European Union will come to finality. Are there moves to have Bosnia-Herzegovina join the European Union? I worked there as an election monitor some years ago. Bringing that country into the European Union would be a positive step. What developments have been made with regard to membership of the European Union by Turkey? The position in Cyprus must be resolved before Turkey joins the European Union. Unity of the island of Cyprus must be a prerequisite for membership by Turkey of the European Union.
Like other speakers, I welcome the Minister, who has a full agenda for the upcoming meeting. My first question concerns Haiti. Like Senator Leyden, I acknowledge the speedy response of the EU to this problem at its first meeting. The priority for the citizens of Europe is Haiti. This issue has touched everyone and no matter how difficult people find the financial situation here and elsewhere, when one sees the dreadful pictures coming from Haiti it brings home to us all how fortunate we are, how unlucky they are and how much they require assistance and support. The Minister indicated that some €112 million was made available through the initial relief effort and €200 million or €300 million will be made available for post-emergency rehabilitation and construction. How will that money be spent? The Minister indicated that some NGOs are used. Are we sure the money is getting to where it is needed most and is being well spent?
When something is on our TV screens and on the front pages of our newspapers it becomes a priority and is dealt with but it will not be too long before Haiti disappears from our TV screens and newspapers. If we are serious about support, rehabilitation and reconstructing, this country will require our assistance for many years. It is important we ensure it is a priority for many years to come and we should not let it slip down the list of priorities.
I note there is an international conference on Afghanistan being held in London on 28 January. I am delighted we will be represented at that meeting. Many people will be frustrated at the apparent lack of progress in Afghanistan. Perhaps the Minister can outline the EU policy on this. The Minister referred to the conference giving us an opportunity to agree an EU approach. What is our policy on Afghanistan? Can the Minister comment on the Icelandic application for membership of the EU?
I welcome the Minister and the many excellencies and other diplomatic representatives. This is an important, historic time for the Union. This is post-Lisbon and Monday's meeting is historic because it divides the former GAERC, on which I served for several years, into the general affairs council and the foreign affairs council. I wish the Minister and his colleagues well in this new dimension, which will be more focused from the European perspective. It will bring new efficiencies. The impact of the Lisbon treaty and its ratification in Ireland by our population shows the magnitude and the value of the positive decision by our people. It is an historic time for the Union and hopefully a time of opportunity.
The serious crisis facing us is the serious situation in Haiti. While oral responses were rapid by the UN, the impact of operational responses was slow. We must recognise the contribution of the United States and the fact that it was able to move in rapidly and bring in logistical people, equipment and resources. That they could assist in this way shows the global contribution of the United States. Many of those who are constantly critical of the United States and the facilities given to it by the Irish Government were the first to call on the United States and the United Nations to come to the aid of Haiti.
It is important that we put this in perspective. As Deputy Power stated, Haiti will be a serious challenge for this country, the European Union and the global world. There is a huge amount of dispossessed people and orphans as a result of this and the EU and the United Nations will have to consider in a very humane way how some of the children can be relocated to new environments while Haiti is being rebuilt.
I salute Denis O'Brien and all of the other Irish people there and I pay tribute to the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, and their colleagues in the Department, particularly in the Irish Aid division, for the very rapid and generous response Ireland is making as a small country. It shows the contribution we make at times of crisis and is reflective of the great traditions of our country taking into account our history. I also pay tribute to one of my constituents, Sr. Mary Hardiman of the Holy Union, whose family were in touch with her on one occasion. The lines have since broken down and communication has not been sustained. There is some apprehension about this and perhaps I will be able to speak to the Minister and his team about this later. We also sympathise with the family and friends of the late Mr. Grene from Cavan on his tragic demise. He was the deputy head of mission with the United Nations.
I would have expected a greater and more rapid response from the UN based on the fact that it was on site. The United Nations seems to be a very powerful administrative organisation but it does not seem to have the rapid response unit vital in this type of situation and we need to take this up at that level. The European Union must focus on ensuring it is seen as the organisation responding to a situation first, immediately and in a co-ordinating role.
We are in a time of serious climate change. Earthquakes and changes in the Earth's structure and seismology are a challenge for the global world. This is an ideal opportunity for the European Union; we must educate our young people on this serious situation. Will the Minister request his colleagues at European Union level to take an initiative in the education of our young people, particularly children at primary school level, on the importance of climate change and the difficulties and traumas caused as a result of earthquakes so we have a better understanding and development of our personal and collective responsibility to deal with this in the future. There has been confusion this week because of climatic reports which suggest that information that post-2035 the ice caps will have melted was a serious error. We need to be much more informed about this and we need to examine it. It is important that the EU takes the initiative in this area.
It is important that the EU is seen post-Lisbon to have a greater role in ensuring we get people to sit down and recognise mutual requirements in the Middle East and bring back some trust and respect so the matter can be resolved as quickly as possible and the unfortunate people there who are being deprived of their rights and resources will not find themselves in the same situation in the future.
I welcome the Minister. He outlined the priorities of the incoming Spanish Presidency, one of which is economic recovery and job creation. I agree with Senator Cummins that this should be a priority for the incoming Presidency. I notice that the issue of the European micro-finance facility for employment and social progress is on the agenda for the general affairs council meeting as is a call for support for the mobilisation of a European globalisation and adjustment fund for several member states. These are very important measures and a co-ordinated European approach to promoting economic recovery throughout member states will be key in the coming years.
At a time when the new EU 2020 strategy is being drawn up there is a sense of optimism and concern that the same fate might await that new strategy as affected the Lisbon strategy which, despite its stated objective to ensure the European economy became the most competitive and dynamic economy internationally, was seen to be largely a failure. Will the Minister reassure us that the new strategy, EU 2020, has a better chance of success? The Lisbon strategy was being implemented at a time when the global economy was prospering and the individual economies of member states were in growth. Should we be any more hopeful that the EU 2020 strategy can be successful at a time when most of the EU member states are in economic recession?
Citizens' rights and freedoms were mentioned by the incoming Presidency as a priority. I notice the European Parliament asked the Council to engage in inter-institutional dialogue on the new legal framework required for access to documents, which is very close to the heart of many citizens. The Lisbon treaty changed the situation by broadening the scope of the requirement for access to documents to include the European Council, the European Central Bank, the European Court of Justice, Europol and Eurojust. There is a short timeframe within which the new regulations on access to documents have to be drawn up and the European Parliament is seeking immediate inter-institutional dialogue on this, particularly on the principles that will surround any restrictions on access to documents. Will the Minister, Deputy Martin, and the Government support this immediate inter-institutional dialogue?
The Minister mentioned the situation in Haiti and it is true that there has been a strong international response, albeit a little belated. The United States is seen as playing a very strong role in this. Unfortunately, the European Union has not been mentioned and there has been no strong European response while individual member states are doing their very best and the Irish Government has made its contribution to the relief and humanitarian effort. Does the Minister feel there is need to operationalise some of the new provisions of the Lisbon treaty, particularly with regard to the formation of the EU voluntary humanitarian aid corps? In a future humanitarian crisis it would be very welcome to see the European Union being able to mobilise the same type of civilian resources as the US and other major powers. What steps can be taken in this regard?
The committee has organised a meeting with a number of Irish MEPs tomorrow to discuss the citizen's initiative. A public consultation process is in train on this at present. Will the Department play a role in raising public awareness about the citizen's initiative and seek public input into its design and workings?
Will the Minister consider bringing a couple of points to the meeting. With regard to Haiti, there is no doubt that certain states build up specialist knowledge and I am thinking in particular of Switzerland's search and rescue knowledge because of historic events and its geography. I am conscious that Haiti will need to rebuild. The EU could be well served by suggesting the use of the expertise that exists in Israel where they successfully rebuilt a country using basic principles with water, roads, sanitation and housing for communities in a way that ensured they could develop. They have a certain expertise. Some EU funding could be used and we could ask the Israelis to assist specifically in Haiti. Other precedents exist.
We might ask them to assist in Gaza which is closer.
That is a different question and the issues are mutually exclusive. There is no point in suggesting that they are doing wrong somewhere else, when they have expertise which could serve the people of Haiti. We might be ad idem about looking after the Palestinians in Gaza but still, there is no doubt that the Israelis have a certain expertise.
I support the Minister in his continuing efforts on behalf of the people of Gaza. I note that unofficial meetings with EU or UN representatives are taking place in East Jerusalem with the knowledge of the Israelis. That represents at least some progress towards bringing all the Arab groups on-side in a democratic two-state solution.
In regard to the Serbia, Macedonia, Croatia and Turkey applications to join the EU, I ask that the European countries receive priority. I am aware that historical issues arise in respect of Serbia's membership in that the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand by Serbian agents in Sarajevo started World War I. Uniting Serbia with the EU would have positive parallels with the reconciliation of France and Germany in the last century and would show the world that Europe is becoming more united.
During the Cold War, Poland and the Balkan states were regarded as eastern European but we now realise they are middle Europe. We should expand eastwards toward Ukraine and other states before considering countries such as Turkey, only 10% of which is located in Europe. I do not suggest that Turkey should not join but would prefer to see European countries being fast-tracked. The Icelandic application should also be considered because it evidently needs the EU's support.
I thank the Chair and apologise to the Minister for missing his presentation as I was contributing to the Dáil debate on Haiti. All our hearts go out to the people of that country after their terrible tragedy. While the estimated death toll is 200,000 at present, nobody knows what the final number of casualties will be. It follows after the tsunami of five years ago which resulted in 160,000 deaths. Haiti is a relatively small country of 9 million people. The earthquake was not simply an act of God because disaster was waiting to happen in a country where more than 80% of the population live in poverty in flimsy shanty towns.
The European Union has promised that it will convene an international meeting to raise funds for reconstruction. We should have been able to apply the lessons of the last tsunami to the Haitian disaster but the response thus far appears relatively fragmented. While aid is pouring in, nobody really knows how and where it is being distributed and whether it is reaching the most needy because of the plethora of non-governmental aid organisations in the country. That is not good enough. The global public is contributing colossal amounts and the least we should have in place are structures to ensure money is being spent to best advantage.
The Treaty of Lisbon puts a strong emphasis on the EU's global leadership in areas such as climate change and humanitarian aid. The newly appointed High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy should be to the forefront in co-ordinating the international response. I do not know the capacity in which we will be represented at the conference on Haiti but we certainly should discuss the appropriate structures for responding to the colossal disasters which are occurring on an ever more regular basis. Somebody must be in charge of a co-ordinated response. The EU solidarity clause, which requires member states to offer mutual assistance in the event of natural disasters, should be expanded under the auspices of the high representative. Given our prominent role as an international donor, I would like to see the Minister championing this issue.
The Spanish Presidency appears to have appropriately prioritised its areas of work, such as the application of the Lisbon treaty, economic growth and job creation. We will undoubtedly hold extensive discussions on the 2020 strategy over the coming six months. The last ten years of the Lisbon Strategy have not been successful largely because the emphasis was solely on competitiveness and insufficient regard was paid to regulation. A decade down the road, we are back on square one. We need to carefully consider how we can develop sustainable social inputs.
It appears the EU has begun to move more robustly on the Middle East. The Council's conclusions are stronger in this regard. The Minister expects to have a clearer idea by the February Council on whether a formula can be agreed between the Israeli and Palestinian sides. What is the basis for the Minister's optimism? Are serious negotiations taking place behind the scenes?
The EU has not developed a policy on Afghanistan in recent times other than to express its commitment to the country's reconstruction, whatever that means. The country is experiencing a war and perhaps we could develop a position in advance of the conference that will take place in London. It is now the major theatre of conflict in the world, with more and more troops being sucked into it without any particular direction. It has all the implications of impacting neighbouring Pakistan, and it becomes a target for the Taliban. I would like to see the European Union giving more thought to its own policy in Afghanistan rather than simply following the line of the United States or Britain and allowing the war continue willy-nilly without having a policy on the matter.
The citizens' initiative was discussed earlier. In Ireland and the rest of the EU countries, there should be a greater effort by member states to engage citizens in what will constitute the structure of this initiative so we can guarantee the easiest and best access for the 500 million citizens throughout the Union. They should be able to directly put an item of policy on the Commission's table. As I noted before, this cannot simply be done just by consulting with stakeholders. Public meetings would be desirable.
The matter should proceed with a sense of engagement and promotion of awareness and consultation by directly seeking the views of citizens of the European Union. It should not be rushed into with an artificial deadline of June this year. It has taken us a long time to come up with this so it is important it is done right after proper consultation rather than being guided by a deadline imposed by a Union which is impatient to get on with the matter.
There has been a far-reaching series of comments from members, some of which the Minister touched on in his statement. The points have been well made, particularly as they pertain to disaster resolution and response. Every time there is a natural or man-made disaster, there seems to be a lethargy in responding in an organised and structured way. When people appeal for help certain procedures must be followed, with a sequence of events taking place very quickly. That should be understood and recognised well in advance so that procedures can be put in place and agreed in advance.
The problem in Haiti is that it is a poor country that has suffered massive loss of life. The infrastructure, such as it was, has been completely demolished. Although everybody wishes to help, the logistics to act as quickly as possible are not sufficient. We realise such action is not simple but it should be possible for the international community, including the EU, the UN and various other bodies, to get their act together much more quickly than we have seen.
This was evidenced here at home after the recent flooding and freezing weather. It takes time to get organised but if action is well organised in advance, there could be a significant benefit to everybody. We have lessons to learn and we hope the Minister can encourage his EU and UN colleagues along those lines. The members have very correctly made that point.
We discussed the EU 2020 strategy at last week's meeting. The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dick Roche, made an interesting submission to the committee at the time. We will discuss the matter again tomorrow, as well as the citizens' initiative. The points have been well made and it is important that the facility be seen to operate effectively. It must be available, with clear, precise and understood access to it. It should not be used as a vehicle for abuse or other frivolous reasons but rather how it was intended. We know the Minister will proceed in that fashion.
The Minister has correctly brought to our attention the position in Iran, which the committee has discussed previously. We continue to receive representations from various constituents who are concerned in particular about the treatment of a number of academics in the country.
There is a growing fear for their lives in certain cases, and their well-being in general is in question. The Bosnia issue was also raised by members. The committee met in that region last year and we obtained extremely useful information at first hand. It indicated that the military presence may well be needed for longer than people anticipated. There seems to be a fear that the removal at too early a stage of the support, intelligence and reassurance from the EU military presence could undermine the general peaceful co-existence that everybody hopes for.
The Middle East has been referred to already, as well as Afghanistan. The Minister and the members have mentioned the significance of the Spanish Presidency. This is the first Presidency under the new regime and the first Presidency of the new decade. This time will have much influence on the development of the institutions within the European Union, whether they relate to existing institutions or enlargement. Points have been made on other countries and we need to accommodate all countries within the continent of Europe. I would go so far as to say we should accommodate those countries whose territory is only partially within the continent.
On the last point, Senator Maurice Cummins raised at the start of the meeting the split of the General Affairs and External Relations Council.
I apologise on Senator Cummins's behalf as he had to leave because of another engagement.
The split was mandated by the Lisbon treaty and it is for a good purpose. I welcome the development and there is a certain degree of evolution in the new format. The Foreign Affairs Council has been established as a new council formation tasked with elaborating the Union's external policies and action on the basis of strategic guidelines laid by the European Council. It will be attended by foreign ministers and chaired by the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, to ensure the Union's external action is consistent.
The General Affairs Council is tasked with ensuring consistency in the work of the different council configurations and preparing and ensuring the follow-up to European Council meetings and that of the Commission itself. It will be chaired by the rotating presidency, which is currently Spain. President van Rompuy has made clear his intention to work closely with the rotating presidency and the council.
The idea is to streamline the work of the Union and have consistency across the board and between the different councils, making the work more effective, particularly on the world stage. There should be an emerging sense of a more coherent and unified European response to global issues. We have much work to do in this respect, as the Copenhagen conference illustrated. It is work in progress. The Chairman noted that the Spanish Presidency is the first under this new arrangement and we are anxious to contribute positively to it.
All members have spoken on the position in Haiti. I outlined in the Dáil yesterday the Government's response to date on that. The Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, made a submission on Haiti in the Dáil earlier today and Deputy Costello may have been there. People have said we must learn lessons from these incidents and one which was learned from the 2002 tsunami was that there should be a central fund in place for emergency relief under the auspices of the United Nations. We were very enthusiastic supporters of that idea. It is our belief that the most important form of preparation and readiness to deal with a disaster is to have a fund in place rather than having to appeal for funds. One would be able to immediately deploy money that had been held in reserve for such catastrophes. We contributed €20 million to the UN for this purpose last year and into this year, which makes us about the seventh largest contributor. Thus, when people see the additional €2 million in funding, they are not seeing the full story, because we have put money into the fund in advance. We have also stockpiled materials. Countries are advised to stockpile emergency equipment such as shelters and jerrycans, and we have airlifted those to Haiti.
We have sent out a technical team to assess the situation in Haiti but we have also sent two members of our rapid response corps, as mentioned by Senator Leyden, which has been in place for quite some time and has around 150 members of differing expertise and from various disciplines. As I said in my opening remarks, we have sent an IT specialist to help the World Food Programme in Haiti, as well as an electrical engineer. We are waiting for the UN and others to tell us they need a person in a specific area. Our technical team will report back on areas in which we can add value. There is no point in pouring volunteers into a disaster situation, as they can get in the way if the effort is not properly organised, targeted and focused. That is why we have a rapid response corps, which was set up long before the disaster occurred. These people, who are volunteers, have been trained by us in an ongoing intensive programme and deployed to different parts of the world for different reasons. We are anxious to continue with this.
Tom Arnold paid a 24-hour visit to Haiti on behalf of Concern and he shared some thoughts with us. To be fair to him, he did not expect me to repeat it at the committee but I will not breach any confidences. His report gives us a sense of what has actually been achieved in the response but also of the logistical difficulties. The port is unusable, which is critical because shipments are the most effective, efficient and financially tenable means of providing large volumes of aid quickly. There is talk of it being usable in seven to ten days, but that needs to be accelerated.
Much water and food distribution is taking place across the city of Port-au-Prince. Mr. Arnold's impression was that things were relatively calm. The security situation can be over-hyped. People are being remarkably resilient and calm in the face of extraordinary challenges. In fact, he said there had been a major outpouring of help from Haitians to other Haitians, which is vital and which one would expect in such a situation.
The United States is providing major logistical support as well as humanitarian supplies. Deputy Treacy is correct to point this out and it must be acknowledged. Daily co-ordination meetings are going on at the UN. However, the situation was already grim in Haiti before the earthquake in terms of basic access to facilities. The country was 60% dependant on imports prior to the crisis, and only 30% of the population had access to clean water. That was how things were the day before the earthquake. To a certain extent, as I said yesterday and today, the humanitarian organisations are going in there and starting from scratch. Without question, the poverty and lack of a decent infrastructure in Haiti even before the earthquake is a significant compounding factor in the devastation wreaked by the earthquake and also in the challenges involved in rebuilding. Around 330,000 people have received food rations and 100,000 are receiving clean water, although these figures are two or three days old. We must balance our impatience to get things in with the fact that much has already happened, although much more needs to be done.
With regard to the EU response, around €120 million was allocated immediately. The view of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, is that it was better for her to co-ordinate the delivery of humanitarian supplies and aid rather than getting on a plane just to be seen on the tarmac in Haiti. There is always a balance to be struck in terms of how we approach these things. The key issue is to get the aid in on the ground, and the EU, the USA and the UN are working together as global actors to achieve this. If there is any good at all to come from this — although it is awful to say it in that way — it will be if we ensure that Haiti never returns to its pre-earthquake state. The international global committee must stay involved, building up infrastructure and eradicating poverty.
We welcome the role of the NGOs, including Haven and the Soul of Haiti entrepreneurial group, which were involved in Haiti even before the earthquake and were raising it as an issue here. Under our aid programme we supported three partners in Haiti prior to the earthquake, namely, Concern, which has been there about ten years, Christian Aid, and Médecins sans Frontières. We are now supporting other agencies who are intervening in Haiti, for example, GOAL is distributing supplies and has commissioned an Aer Lingus aeroplane to bring further supplies. It is important that the global intervention is sustained so that we can create a new order for Haiti into the future.
I will consider the views of the committee members. The Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, is working on a daily basis with me and with Irish Aid and whatever more we can do, we will do. The Irish people have demonstrated their characteristic generosity in their response. Clearly, they want the Government and Irish Aid to continue to provide support logistically and through the provision of personnel. Human resources are a key aspect of what one can bring to the table in terms of co-ordination, organisation and logistical supports such as engineering. It is important to make sure the supplies that are undoubtedly coming in are distributed to people as quickly as possible.
Senator Cummins raised the issue of the election in Ukraine. The OSCE had a monitoring mission there and our ambassador to the OSCE, Eoin O'Leary, was one of those monitors. It gave a generally positive assessment of the elections. The two most successful candidates will now go on to the next round.
Another common theme in members' comments was the Spanish EU Presidency. We are all agreed that economic recovery is the number one priority. That is Ireland's position. The EU 2020 strategy, which replaces the Lisbon strategy, is the key. People have said the Lisbon strategy failed. There are a number of fundamental issues facing Europe. There is a strong social input in European policy. If we contrast Europe with Asia, the US or Latin America, we are by far——
Not from a European point of view.
I am talking about where we stand globally. For example, the globalisation phenomenon is a structural issue to which we must face up. There are fundamental structural issues facing Europe which have nothing to do with the present crisis, not least demographics. We have a strong social structure, which is important and on which we pride ourselves. It is far superior to most other areas of the world. The challenge facing us is how to sustain this in the decades ahead, because we will need economic growth to sustain the pension plans and social support structures that are in place.
There was an interesting report in yesterday's edition of The Irish Times about the world competitiveness league table, which stated that Asia has experienced further growth — although it has plenty of capacity to grow — while productivity in the United States has been higher than in Europe over the last 12 months because of certain structural issues. We face real challenges. I argue it is not down to the emphasis of a particular Commission, whether it has liberal or socialist economics. There are more fundamental issues. There is a demographic issue. How does an ageing population — as we are in Europe — work? Ireland is one country that has a better demographic balance than others in terms of birth rate and having a younger population that can support an older population as well as industry and other factors. That is a more medium-term issue.
I am glad that Ms Máire Geoghegan-Quinn performed so well in her presentation to the Commission. Her portfolio is key to European economic advancement and is a large one in respect of budgetary allocation. I recall having close consultations with the previous Commissioner with responsibility for research, Mr. Potocnik, when I was Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The key issue for Europe is to up its game in its research and development capacity in order to produce the better products and services that will be solutions to global problems. To give one example, the European pharmaceutical industry has declined in the past 25 or 30 years relative to the United States pharmaceutical industry in comparison to what it was in the 1970s. One could put this down to a collective lack of investment in research and development. That is one of the big challenges facing Europe. It must get its act together collectively on research in order to become the economic powerhouse it wants to be.
I do not believe Europe has faced up to globalisation from a policy perspective. It still looks internally, at itself, too much. There are state aid and competition rules but this is very much in the context of European borders. We look internally and create rules. I do not say we do not need to do that — we do — but sometimes one gets the sense that Europe is almost oblivious to what is going on in other zones across the world. These are very serious and profound issues which do not lend themselves to easy remedies and one must ask questions.
Senator Hanafin raised an issue with regard to Israel and I take his point. Any expertise is welcome and if people have particular expertise it should be deployed. Why did Intel go to Israel? There are a number of factors. The aid issue was a big factor as well as that country's capacity and technology advances. Europe would have been more concerned about which European country Intel might go to rather than being concerned about the fact it ended up in Israel. Europe should be more concerned that such an outcome should end up in Europe as opposed to outside Europe. Europe needs to be more flexible and responsive to such issues, namely, where global investment will go in the future. There is no guarantee it must come to Europe. We have a big market and that attracts investors who want to be in the European market. That is a big factor in multinationals coming to Europe but is not something we should take for granted as the world changes and develops.
Those are my personal observations. I hope the EU 2020 objectives will work but these are areas that must be addressed. There is no getting away from it.
I take the Chairman's point regarding Bosnia-Herzegovina. My Department shares his concerns and those of the committee about not having an early pull-out of forces. We must ensure the situation is stabilised and support the talks. We would like to see the leaderships taking the necessary steps, particularly in introducing the constitutional and political reforms that are required.
Senator Hanafin raised the issue of prioritising countries. Let us stand back and say there has been a very significant enlargement of the European Union in the past decade. Sometimes we forget that. It has been dramatic and very significant and has changed the very face of the Union. We are making progress with a variety of countries that seek accession. Decisions depend very much on countries meeting the objective criteria set. There are particular formats and procedures laid down regarding how countries eventually become members of the European Union. It is important that we maintain those criteria. I would not change them. I would not say that we should take one country at all costs, as opposed to another which might be making very good progress in attaining the criteria.
We have strongly supported the Serbian European perspective. We believe the present Serbian Government has made significant responses. I met the Foreign Minister, Mr. Jeremic, at the OAC meeting and in previous UN encounters. He is a progressive Minister. We see progress happening and we believe the EU should support stabilisation. During the previous Council that was signed off. There was also a very good presentation by the International Criminal Court, ICC, people involved in the Brammertz report. There was a very good presentation to us on Croatia and Serbia and their co-operation with the ICC and on the issue of fugitives from the genocidal era. By and large the presentation was positive and hence we support Serbia's Government and what it is trying to do. We believe the more we can accelerate the progress towards European integration the better because it will be a stabilising factor in the region. Others must come up to the plate and reforms must take place. It cannot merely be something one wishes should happen.
We believe the Commission may complete its review of Iceland's application as early as February. There is an upcoming referendum in Iceland which might be a factor in how that progresses. I am very conscious that it is ultimately a matter for the people of Iceland but we support their application. There are issues regarding the application that remain to be discussed. As it is, Iceland is very integrated with Europe, with membership of the European Economic Area and the Schengen area. Basically, if Iceland is clear that it wants to join the EU, that is an application in which the challenges are clearly surmountable.
We have been speaking about the Middle East and Gaza for some time. I share Senator Leyden's views. This is unacceptable. The place is virtually an open prison. European leaders and political representatives and foreign ministers should be allowed into Gaza. We are being denied access and that is not acceptable. Proinsias De Rossa, MEP, endeavoured to lead a delegation at around the same time I was anxious to visit. We will continue to pursue that issue with the Israeli Government and others to see if that visit can take place.
I met Mr. John Ging, the UNRWA director in Gaza, immediately prior to Christmas. This issue is a matter of common sense and logic. He made the point to us that UNRWA and others are working with people on the ground whose background is largely secular. They are pragmatic people. However, as long as the moderates are undermined opportunities are created for the more extreme elements. It defies logic that people do not go out to try to win the hearts and minds of the middle ground of people in Gaza. We are all familiar with this situation on this island. It must be one of building bridges and developing peace processes. Too many materials are not getting into Gaza.
Deputy Costello made a point regarding the February date. Senator George Mitchell went back to the area this week and there are behind-the-scenes talks going on. It has been very difficult for the past 12 months but we hope that by February we will have a clearer prospect of talks commencing. To be fair to them, we are satisfied that the Americans continue to prioritise the issue of getting talks underway as a key item of foreign policy notwithstanding the other challenges in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
The London conference on Afghanistan is, to a certain extent, related. There is a European policy on Afghanistan but the London conference will be an opportunity to regenerate, renew and refresh the issue. Clear parameters can be laid down regarding what is expected of the international community, including the European Union, and what is expected of the Afghan Government. That is important. There should be no ambiguity after the London conference concerning the actions we expect of President Karzai and his Government. The "Afghanisation" of security is a key priority. It involves a good deal of training, especially of police. It is expected a fresh impetus will be given to EU countries with the provision of stronger supports for the EU training force in Afghanistan.
It is not simply a case of a military solution, a fact acknowledged by the USA in its review and also by the EU. The social, economic and development aspects of the equation have a stronger part to play in the European Union approach and response. In the area of food production, agricultural development is a key element in terms of the reconstruction in Afghanistan and its development.
Another key issue is governance in the provinces and the development of strong, corrupt-free governors, and governance in the regions is essential. It is a serious and challenging situation. I spoke to the UK Foreign Secretary, Mr. Miliband, during the conference and the key objective is that the conference makes absolutely clear what the international community expects from President Karzai and his Government in terms of the issues to which I have alluded.
Senator de Búrca raised the matter of the EU voluntary humanitarian code on Haiti and we agree with the point made. We are very supportive of it.
Yesterday during the debate in the Dáil, I dealt with the matter of the citizens' initiative. We are very supportive of it and we appreciate the work the committee has done. It is something to which we are open. Our view and preferences are similar to that of the committee in terms of the requirement of a proposal involving one quarter of member states and a threshold of 0.2% of the population in each member state. We favour utilisation of the register and we will be proactive in making citizens aware of this facility. Deputy Costello suggested we should take our time to get this right, which is fair enough, but at the same time there must be momentum upon which we can build. There was a referendum on the Lisbon treaty. The people must be able to see issues relevant to citizens developed relatively quickly, although I accept the point that it must be done and the model must be correct. It will be very interesting to see the development once it is established and the first petition comes in. I have been recording carefully the enthusiasm of Members yesterday in the House and today.
That is why we must do it right.
That sounds ominous. The issue of Iran and Dr. Kian Tajbakhsh was raised. We have communicated with the committee on that case. We take a very clear interest in this matter and our ambassador has been detailed to do so as well. He is waiting on an appeal. The overall situation in Iran is unacceptable from a human rights perspective and we are coming very close to the wire in respect of issues pertaining to Iran.
I raised the question of access to documents requested by the European Parliament. What will the Minister do in respect of this matter?
We will examine that in terms of the European Parliament. Certainly, we support inter-institutional dialogue in terms of access to documents.
I wish to put a query to the Minister.
Deputy Seán Power raised the question of how the money is being spent. We are satisfied the money is being spent appropriately. The point made by Tom Arnold is important. Aid is getting into the airport. Everyone is absolutely clear about the fact that people need the funding, which is going into supplies of food, shelter and so on. Let us be very clear about that. We are co-ordinating the work of the agencies to ensure there is no duplication or overlap.
How can the European Union accept a situation whereby Israel can refuse access to Gaza for a formal ministerial delegation under any circumstances but we continue to have a formal relationship with Israel? What level of diplomatic response was offered on that occasion? It seems intolerable that such a refusal should take place.
I accept Deputy Costello's comment. I have written to the Spanish EU Presidency and the foreign minister, Mr. Moratinos, to raise the issue with him and to call for the visit of a European delegation to Gaza. The situation in Gaza is intolerable from a humanitarian point of view. That is my interest in the matter. There are broader implications and there is a need to try to create conditions conducive to a peace process. Recently, there have been repeated difficulties with aid deliveries entering Gaza. Our Department is frequently contacted regarding the latest convoys entering the area. I am not saying right is on everyone's side all the time but these issues could be avoided if there were more common sense. The Deputy's point is very valid.
Will the Minister be discussing it at the meeting?
I will. It is not formally on the agenda but we have written to Mr. Moratinos and it is an issue we are taking up.
Similarly, I presume the Minister and his colleagues will discuss the ongoing situation in various African countries, with particular reference to the erosion of democracy and the need for greater encouragement of democracy in some of the countries, especially Uganda and the Congo. There are indicators of an increased lessening of democratic processes in those countries. The African continent as we know it is quite close to the European continent. It is not a million miles away and it is something the European Union must keep in mind.
I thank the Minister for his patience and the manner in which he dealt with the various questions. We look forward to hearing from him again and we wish him well with his discussions with his colleagues at European and worldwide community level.
The joint committee went into private session at 1.10 p.m. and adjourned at 1.45 p.m. until 11 a.m. on Friday, 22 January 2010.