Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:4 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach if he intends to appoint a Minister for European Affairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4137/98]
Ceisteanna — Questions. - Responsibility for European Affairs.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has responsibility for European Affairs and there are no plans to appoint a Minister of State with responsibilities in this area.
I appreciate that both the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Liz O'Donnell, and the recently appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Andrews — following the resignation of Ray Burke, whose vacancy will be filled on 11 March — are consumed with the prioritisation of work related to the Northern Ireland talks taking place in Dublin Castle. There were two occasions since June when this country was not represented at the General Affairs Council, by a Minister and where our permanent representative — a very capable individual — stood in. I invite the Taoiseach to give to Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, a wider range of powers than originally intended on 26 June. Will he seriously consider assigning responsibility for European Affairs to a Minister of State other than to the two involved given the enormous array of important issues on the agenda of the European Council? We are missing them by default because of priorities elsewhere with respect to Northern Ireland. The job cannot be done because people cannot be in two places at the same time. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State have priorities in respect of Northern Ireland. Will the Taoiseach reconsider the allocation of responsibilities and, from the array of talent among the Ministers of State, appoint one as a Minister of State with additional responsibility for European Affairs?
Re the constructive remarks of Deputy Quinn, unfortunately there have been one or two occasions — not unprecedented — because of Northern Ireland duties when the Minister or Minister of State have not attended the European Affairs Council. This is not new and neither is it desirable.
It usually takes place during election time.
The permanent representative often sits in on such meetings. In the event of a two day conference the permanent representative would take over from the Minister. That happens regularly. I envisaged this could happen because of the extensive duties involving Northern Ireland. I tried to use a full Cabinet Minister but that created mayhem in the House last July——
It was mildly unconstitutional.
It was not unconstitutional.
Fianna Fáil used to be a slightly constitutional party.
It is the best constitutional party around.
It came to it late.
We created it.
It has been well developed since. We are still working to the Constitution. If there is a problem, another Minister or Minister of State will normally stand in. The number of meetings in recent months in Northern Ireland is unprecedented. This is likely to continue for the next few months. I will keep the position under review. The Minister or Minister of State normally attends the General Affairs Council. Last week the Minister spent three days at the talks in Belfast following which he was in Panama for two days. Since then he has spent four days at the Northern talks. He has not had even a half day off in the past 15 or 16 days. The same is true of the Minister of State. I hope the pressure will ease. The Minister is anxious to attend the General Affairs Council. If he is unable to attend, the Minister of State will stand in.
Given the realpolitik I understand the Minister and the Minister of State, who is a member of the junior party in the coalition, have to represent the Government properly and comprehensively at the Northern talks. In the previous Administration there were two Cabinet Ministers — the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Foreign Affairs — doing the same job. There was also an able Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs who did an enormous amount of complex work which required much preparation. With respect, it is not possible for the two people to whom I have referred to do the job they have to do and also assume responsibility for European affairs. I do not want to intrude on the privacy of the Taoiseach's party but there are people sitting behind the Taoiseach who have the necessary experience and who could assume responsibility for European affairs. Ireland's interests for which the Taoiseach temporarily has prime responsibility would be better served.
A number of people are doing additional work. The Minister for Agriculture and Food, the Minister for Defence, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Minister for Finance, who travels to Europe on business every second week, are all involved. The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs has been heavily involved on a number of occasions recently on third country issues. If it proves necessary to designate somebody, that will be done but it should be avoided, if at all possible.
Is the Taoiseach aware that the General Affairs Council has a supervisory role in relation to other Councils? Where an issue which affects another Council cannot be dealt with, it will often appear on the General Affairs Council's agenda. When the Government was formed the Taoiseach wanted to appoint a Minister with responsibility for European affairs as well as a Minister for Foreign Affairs and a Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs. Now he sees no need to appoint a Minister with responsibility for European affairs. Is he aware that in almost all of the other 14 member states there is a Minister with responsibility for European affairs, a Secretary of State with responsibility for European affairs or a Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs? The Minister is not able to attend all meetings of the General Affairs Council or for the duration of all meetings. In diplomatic circles the absence of Ministers has been commented upon. Given its importance, the Taoiseach will always attend the European Council. A Minister or Minister of State should always attend the General Affairs Council which deals with urgent matters. The Taoiseach should reconsider the need to designate a Minister with responsibility for European affairs to deputise for the Minister for Foreign Affairs when he is unable to attend.
There have been meetings every month since the Government was formed. The January meeting was held on the day the White Paper on the Amsterdam Treaty was launched and the talks started in Lancaster House in which the Minister and Minister of State were involved. The Permanent Representative stood in for them. They have attended all other meetings. They have, therefore, been doing their job effectively. A number of Ministers of State who have great knowledge of European matters have been able to stand in, enabling the Minister and Minister of State to concentrate on Northern Ireland. If it becomes necessary to designate somebody, I will look at the matter again but it is not creating a problem. If one looks at the attendance sheets, we have as good a record as anybody else in the recent past.
The problem is that they are clocking in and clocking out.