John Bruton
Ceist:72 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland will be represented at the Joint Council meeting of the Western European Union and NATO to take place at the end of this month. [107/94]
Written Answers. - WEU and NATO Councils.
John Bruton
Ceist:119 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the date, subject matter and level of representation of Ireland at each meeting of the Western European Union Council that has taken place since Ireland took observer status on this body; and if Irish military personnel have attended. [108/94]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 119 together.
Ireland took up observer status in the Western European Union in November 1993 with the entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty. Since then the Western European Union Ministerial Council, which holds regular meetings once every six months, has met twice — on 22 November, 1993 and on 9 May, 1994. Both meetings took place in Luxembourg. The next Western European Union Ministerial Council meeting is scheduled for 14 November, 1994 in Noordwijk, in the Netherlands. The Western European Union Council also meets at the level of ambassadors on a weekly basis, and Ireland's permanent representative to the Western European Union, Mr. Patrick Cradock, attends these meetings.
At the Western European Union Ministerial Council meeting on 22 November, 1993, Ireland was represented by the Minister of State, Deputy Brian O'Shea. The main issue discussed was the implications for the Western European Union of the entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty.
The Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, represented Ireland at the Western European Union Ministerial Council in Luxembourg on 9 May, 1994. The main subject was the Western European Union's relations with the nine Central and Eastern European countries that have, or will have Association Agreements with the EU. The Western European Union decided to enhance its relations with these countries by offering them "associate partner" status. I have arranged for copies of the conclusions of both meetings to be placed in the Dáil Library for the information of Deputies.
It is my intention to attend the next Western European Union Ministerial Council meeting which is scheduled to take place in Noordwijk, in the Netherlands, on 14 November, 1994.
The question of attendance by the Minister of Defence or officials from the Department of Defence, or of Irish military personnel, at meetings of the Western European Union Ministerial Council, has not arisen to date. This is due both to the nature of Ireland's observer status at the Western European Union, which reflects the relationship established between the European Union and the Western European Union in the Common Foreign and Security Policy, CFSP, provisions of the Maastricht Treaty, and also to the nature of the issues which have been considered at these meetings.
A joint discussion between the Western European Union and NATO Councils takes place at ambassadorial level twice a year. As an observer at the Western European Union Council, Ireland is entitled to observe these sessions and the Ambassador, Mr. Cradock, attended the last such meeting on 29 June.