Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Nov 1991

Vol. 412 No. 3

Written Answers. - European Constitution Provisions.

Theresa Ahearn

Ceist:

26 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he considers the system of Intergovernmental Conferences to be an adequatedly democratic way of settling the provisions of a new European Constitution; his views on whether there should be some means of consulting public opinion in the drafting process of such a constitution or treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Monica Barnes

Ceist:

29 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he considers the system of Intergovernmental Conferences to be an adequatedly democratic way of settling the provisions of a new European Constitution; his views on whether there should be some means of consulting public opinion in the drafting process of such a constitution or treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Andrew Boylan

Ceist:

39 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself that there is adequate democratic accountability to the EC electorate of the decisions of the EC Council of Ministers in view of the proposals to increase the extent of majority voting within the Council.

Tom Enright

Ceist:

43 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline his views on granting national parliaments of member states the right to be consulted, within a time limit, on any proposal to convene an Intergovernmental Conference to amend the EC treaties.

Paul Bradford

Ceist:

55 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself that there is adequate democratic accountability to the EC electorate of the decisions of the EC Council of Ministers in view of the proposals to increase the extent of majority voting within the Council.

John V. Farrelly

Ceist:

61 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline his views on granting national parliaments of member states the right to be consulted, within a time limit, on any proposal to convene an Intergovernmental Conference to amend the EC treaties.

Seán Barrett

Ceist:

91 Mr. S. Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he considers the system of Intergovernmental Conferences to be an adequately democratic way of settling the provisions of a new European Constitution; his views on whether there should be some means of consulting public opinion in the drafting process of such a constitution or treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Pádraic McCormack

Ceist:

97 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline his views on granting national parliaments of member states the right to be consulted, within a time limit, on any proposal to convene an Inter-governmental Conference to amend the EC treaties.

Louis J. Belton

Ceist:

115 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he considers the system of Intergovernmental Conferences to be an adequately democratic way of settling the provisions of a new European Constitution; his views on whether there should be some means of consulting public opinion in the drafting process of such a constitution or treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Proinsias De Rossa

Ceist:

117 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will support the proposal that the conclusions of the Intergovernmental Conference be ratified by the European Parliament, before being presented to the Oireachtas in view of the decisions to this effect taken by the Italian and Belgian Parliaments; if he will further support the convening of another conference of Community Parliaments before the conclusion of the work of the Intergovernmental Conferences; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Collins)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 29, 39, 43, 55, 61, 91, 97, 115 and 117 together since these questions all relate to the issue of consultation.

I am satisfied that the participation of the national Governments, which are, after all, responsible to their national legislatures, provides an adequately democratic means of negotiating the new Union Treaty. I do not see any need to amend the relevant article of the EC Treaty to involve national parliaments in the convening of future Inter-governmental Conferences and I am not aware of any proposals to this effect. In addition, I do not see that it would be feasible to consult public opinion directly in the drafting of treaties. Governments are ultimately responsible to the electorate and can be expected to be conscious of their views as they approach the task of negotiation.

In due course the outcome of the negotiations will be put to the electorate here in a referendum. It is the Government's intention to publish a White Paper on the outcome well in advance of the referendum to enable the Oireachtas and the electorate to be fully informed of the results of the negotiations before they vote on the issue.

It is not the Government's intention to support proposals to have the results of the Intergovernmental Conferences ratified by the European Parliament in advance of the ratification debate in national Parliaments. There is no such provision in Article 236 of the EC Treaty (or in the corresponding Articles of the other Treaties). I am aware of the position of the Italian and Belgian Parliaments, but I would not wish to comment on the approach which they have taken, which is a matter for themselves.

Finally, I am not aware of any proposal to hold a further conference of EC Parliaments in advance of the conclusion of the work of the Intergovernmental Conferences. This is a matter for the European Parliament, which sponsored the Rome Assises in November last year, and for the National Parliaments themselves.