Tom Enright
Ceist:6 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for the Environment if any decision has yet been made in respect of the system of election to apply to Ireland for the European Parliament elections of 1994.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - European Parliament Elections.
Frank Crowley
Ceist:20 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for the Environment if any decision has yet been made in respect to the system of election to apply to Ireland for the European Parliament elections of 1994.
Louis J. Belton
Ceist:39 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for the Environment if any decision has yet been made in respect to the system of election to apply to Ireland for the European Parliament elections of 1994.
Donal Carey
Ceist:45 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for the Environment if any decision has yet been made in respect to the system of election to apply to Ireland for the European Parliament elections of 1994.
John Bruton
Ceist:56 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment if any decision has yet been made in respect to the system of election to apply in Ireland for the European Parliament Elections of 1994.
Paul McGrath
Ceist:58 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment if any decision has yet been made in respect to the system of election to apply to Ireland for the European Parliament elections of 1944.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 20, 39, 45, 56 and 58 together.
Decisions in relation to the system of election to apply in Ireland for the European Parliament elections in 1994 do not arise at this stage. Pending the entry into force of a uniform electoral procedure, elections to the Parliament are regulated by the Act annexed to the Council Decision of 20 September 1976 and by national law, in our case, the European Assembly Elections Acts, 1977 to 1986.
The Treaties envisage that the Parliament shall draw up a proposal for a uniform electoral procedure and that the Council of Ministers, acting unanimously, shall lay down appropriate provisions which it shall recommend for adoption by member states. While draft proposals have been prepared on a number of occasions, I understand that the Parliament has not as yet formulated a proposal.
The draft Treaty on European Union, agreed at Maastricht, contains provisions which will affect elections to the Parliament. For example, it provides that all Community citizens will have the right to vote and stand as candidates at elections to the European Parliament in the member state in which they reside. It also provides for the assent of the Parliament in relation to the provisions to be laid down by the Council relating to uniform procedure.
Can the Minister inform the House whether the Irish Government have prepared any submission to the European Parliament on our decisions in regard to future European Parliament elections? Will we be putting forward any draft system to them?
That would be a matter for another Department. I do not have the information here but I will communicate it to the Deputy.
Would the Minister not agree that it would be a matter for his Department, in the first instance, to prepare such proposals? Second, in view of the impending White Paper which was expected last month, does he anticipate it will contain any detailed information regarding our approach to our system of voting?
My Department await the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs agreeing a procedure, following a proposal from the European Parliament when we will take whatever steps are necessary in advance of the elections to be held in 1994.
Would the Minister agree that there must be uniformity, for instance, to cite one simple example, on the holding of elections on the same day in each member state? Since it has been the practice to hold elections in continental countries on a Sunday will we adopt the same procedure here?
I could not anticipate the decisions to be taken. I certainly agree with the Deputy that there is need for a degree of uniformity throughout member states, all of which will be addressed in due course.
Will the Minister recommend to the Cabinet that they follow his wish to have these elections held on a Sunday?
This matter does not arise at present.
Is the Minister considering any proposal in relation to having uniformity of proportional representation between constituencies enacted in time for the next election? Will there be an alteration in the number of Members to be elected in each constituency?
As I pointed out, the procedure is that the European Parliament will advance a proposal on which a decision will be taken by the Council of Ministers.
But they will not decide on the number of representatives in each constituency.
I am not sure; it would be dependent on whatever system of election is decided. At this point it would be a futile exercise for us to draw up new plans for the elections to be held in 1994 when such plans may well prove to be irrelevant in the context of whatever decisions are taken in the meantime.
The Minister will be aware that among the proposals presented to the European Parliament was one that immigrants would have the right to vote in their countries of origin in future European Parliament elections.
The Minister dealt with that question earlier.
It relates to the elections to the European Parliament in 1994: is the Minister disposed to supporting that proposal?
On the contrary, as I pointed out to the Deputy in reply to the question, the draft treaty on European Union agreed at Maastricht contained provisions which will affect elections to the European Parliament, one of which will provide that all Community citizens will have the right to vote and stand as candidates at elections to the European Parliament in the member states in which they reside.
Can the Minister give the House some indication of the timescale within which he expects the initiative or decision will be taken by the Council of Ministers? Furthermore, can he indicate how that will affect his declared plan to review existing constituencies before 1994?
I cannot anticipate the timescale within Europe because the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers are involved. With regard to the question of constituencies, as soon as the 1991 Census of Population details are available we will ascertain how they will affect the position vis-à-vis European constituencies.
In view of the fact that the proposed changes in the electoral system will have a fundamental effect on Ireland can the Minister say whether any proposals have been formulated by Government, by his Department or the Department of Foreign Affairs, for submission to the European Parliament proposals that the Irish Government, on behalf of our people, should have an input in the system of electing members to the European Parliament? Have we any such plans?
As in the case of Maastricht, none.
I am sure all Irish Members of the European Parliament will have an input into how they would perceive the new rules affecting the electoral position here. The Deputy can take it that continuing discussions on the electoral system will take place between my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs, where appropriate.