Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 18 Dec 1996

Vol. 473 No. 2

Written Answers. - Anti-Discrimination Laws.

Ray Burke

Ceist:

33 Mr. R. Burke asked the asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, in view of the high priority which the Irish EU Presidency has placed on respect for human rights, whether the Government, as EU President, will support the Austrian and Italian proposal that an anti-discrimination clause, which would outlaw discrimination on the basis of race, colour, nationality, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, association with a national minority, social origin or property, disability or any other specific status, be included in the draft Treaty; and the steps, if any, which have been taken by the Government in its capacity as EU President, to ensure the support of all member states for the inclusion of a clause in the draft Treaty which would catalogue the fundamental rights of all EU citizens. [24791/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

The Irish Presidency has taken the lead at the Intergovernmental Conference in putting forward proposals for the development of anti-discrimination provisions in the EU treaties.

I would draw the Deputy's attention in this regard to the Presidency documents dated 26 July 1996 and 8 October 1996 which were lodged in the Oireachtas Library.

As the Deputy is aware, the culmination of Ireland's Presidency of the Intergovernmental Conference was the presentation on 5 December of the general outline for a draft revision of the treaties which had been requested by the Florence European Council. The document, which was accepted by the European Council in Dublin on 13 and 14 December as a good basis for negotiations in the final phase of the conference, has also been lodged in the Oireachtas Library.

The Presidency's outline draft treaty includes a suggested provision that would enable the Council to take appropriate action to prohibit discrimination based on sex, racial, ethnic or social origin, religious belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

As in other areas, further detailed examination will be required by the conference before agreement can be reached on a specific treaty text. However, a wide degree of agreement seems to be emerging on a provision along the lines suggested by the Presidency. As the Deputy is aware, unanimity will be required for any treaty changes at the Intergovernmental Conference.

The Presidency's outline draft treaty also proposes strengthening the treaty in a number of other ways in relation to respect for fundamental rights and in relation to equality between men and women.

The specific suggestion to include a catalogue of fundamental rights in the treaty has not gained widespread support at the conference.