Vol. 428 No. 5
22 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Justice the steps, if any, Ireland and the other member states of the EC are taking in relation to co-ordinating the status and treatment of refugees and aliens in the EC having regard to our obligations under international conventions; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Ministers for Justice and the Interior of member states of the Community, meeting in the Hague in December 1991, agreed on a work programme for discussing, and where appropriate, harmonising policies in the areas of immigration and asylum. That work programme was noted by the Maastricht European Council which considered that it constituted an adequate basis for measures to be taken in those areas. In addition, the Treaty on European Union provides for co-operation between member states for the purposes of achieving the objectives of the Union, including co-operation in the areas of immigration and asylum policy. Co-operation in these areas takes place with due regard to our obligations under international conventions.
