Nora Owen
Ceist:1 Mrs. Owen asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance in the United Kingdom on 12 March 1998 at the EU summit on enlargement. [7113/98]
Ceisteanna—Questions. - EU Summit on Enlargement.
Nora Owen
Ceist:2 Mrs. Owen asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the bilateral meetings, if any, he had with other heads of government in the United Kingdom on 12 March 1998 when he attended the EU summit on enlargement. [7115/98]
Bernard Allen
Ceist:3 Mr. Allen asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the European conference on 12 March 1998 where the leaders of EU and prospective EU states met to discuss the enlargement of the EU. [7126/98]
Proinsias De Rossa
Ceist:4 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the summit of EU leaders and leaders of applicant countries held in London on 12 March 1998. [7128/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.
The inaugural meeting of the European Conference, was held in London on 12 March and was attended by the Heads of State or Government and Foreign Affairs Ministers, of the 15 member states of the Union and 11 European States aspiring to accede to the Union. As I indicated in a reply to a question on the conference on 24 February, this conference was not part of the enlargement process, but was complementary to it. The accession process, involving all ten central and eastern European applicants and Cyprus, will commence on 30 March. Accession negotiations, with the five most advanced central and eastern European applicants — Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Estonia and Slovenia, together with Cyprus, will open the following day.
The European Conference in London provided an ideal forum for the discussion of issues which are of concern to all the participants, namely, drugs, crime and the environment. At the conference, I indicated Ireland's strong support for efforts at international and European level to control the trade in illicit drugs.
I had a brief meeting with Prime Minister Buzek of Poland, at which we discussed Poland's application for membership of the European Union. I reiterated at that meeting, Ireland's strong support for the enlargement of the European Union and for Poland's application. I also had a meeting with Prime Minister Blair, which is the subject of a separate question.
Is the Taoiseach aware that enlargement, which is supported by this side of the House, will mean changes in the funding available to Ireland? To ensure that Ireland continues to secure funding from Europe, does he agree we should develop real, devolved local government and, as this is so important, will he explain why he has removed responsibility for the devolution committee from his Department? Without devolution there is no possibility of Ireland retaining grants for marginalised and disadvantaged areas. Commissioner Wulf-Mathies stated that devolution was the only means through which Ireland could continue to secure good grants.
The European Conference between the 15 members of the European Union and the 11 applicant states did not discuss the devolution committee, which is the responsibility of the Department of the Environment and Local Government, or Agenda 2000, which will be the subject of many other questions. I do not know what answer I can give that would be relevant to the initial question.
Was there no discussion at the meeting about the impact of enlargement on existing member states? It will mean that funding will have to be shared with new member states and in future Ireland will not be able to depend on so much grant aid from Europe. How does the Taoiseach propose to ensure that marginalised areas of this country will continue to receive assistance? Commissioner Wulf-Mathies said one of the means of securing such assistance is through devolution. The Taoiseach appears to be ignoring the Commissioner's advice by devolving control of the devolution committee to a lesser Department. What proposals does he have to maintain Ireland's status?
Enlargement was not discussed at the meeting. Discussions on enlargement are due to commence on 30 March and most Members of the House support enlargement.
During the discussions on enlargement and Agenda 2000, funding will have to be discussed. With regard to devolution, the Government is anxious to achieve reform of the local government system. Responsibility for the devolution committee was transferred to the Department of the Environment and Local Government to achieve a proper and adequate review of local government and to ensure that whatever structures we have in the ongoing Agenda 2000 negotiations will be reflected in an adequate way in the resources we will have after the transition.
Did the Taoiseach have a meeting with Chancellor Kohl with regard to duty free sales? If not, why did he not take the opportunity to raise the issue with the Chancellor and with other Heads of State who oppose its retention? Two other Ministers raised the issue at Council meetings.
The European Conference was a one day meeting starting mid-morning and ending early evening. I dealt with the items discussed in my initial reply. Apart from the bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Bouzek of Poland and Prime Minister Blair, I had no other meetings on any issue.
Why did the Taoiseach not raise the issue?
Was the size of the European budget discussed? Was it raised by the Taoiseach or any other state represented at the conference? A budget of 1.27 per cent of European GDP is grossly inadequate to fund the development necessary in applicant countries when they become members or even to support them in preparing for membership. As long as the budget remains that size, cuts in Structural Funds, Cohesion Funds and Common Agricultural Policy funding are inevitable.
This was a conference of member states of the European Union and prospective new members. It was suggested at the December European Council that such a meeting should be held. As it was not the normal European Council; the normal lunches and bilateral meetings were not held. I do not see the figure of 1.27 per cent changing. This will be the figure used in the next round up to 2006. It is unlikely that many of the applicant countries will conclude accession agreements before then. The enlargement process is unlikely to change the financial perspective in a severe way in the intervening period, although it will in due course.
The Taoiseach will be aware that the European Conference was called largely to lessen the sense of hurt felt by the Government of Turkey following the decisions taken prior to Christmas. It subsequently declined to accept an invitation to attend and participate in the conference which was convened largely for its benefit and that of the five most advanced applicant countries. Did the Taoiseach make an intervention on the issue of eventual Turkish membership of the European Union? What is the Government's attitude on the issue?
That is precisely the reason the meeting was called originally. When agreement could not be reached in December to include Turkey, the meeting was seen as a way of mending ways and providing for the involvement of Turkey. I expressed my disappointment that it could not find its way to attend. It was a source of grave disappointment to all member states as well as the other prospective member states. It is the position of the European Union that we should continue to try under the British and future Presidencies to maintain contacts to find a settlement. We indicated at the November and December European Councils that we would like to see Turkey join on the basis that it would sign up to the normal rules and regulations, particularly those relating to human rights. I restated this. Notwithstanding this, in the short and medium term it is in the interests of the cohesion of the European Union that a solution should be found. Otherwise, we will be in an unsatisfactory position.
Did the 15 member states make a statement at the conference in relation to Kosovo? If so, what were the main points? Perhaps he could clarify if the other 11 states who are applying to join the European Union indicated support or otherwise for that statement. Is it intended to take the points made in that statement to the United Nations to see if action can be taken at that level on this issue?
A long statement was issued which was discussed and supported by the Foreign Affairs Ministers. The Presidency and a number of countries are directly involved in trying to make progress in this matter. The UN is already involved. I had an opportunity last week to report on the contents of that declaration when I met President Clinton in the United States. It is hoped that progress can be made but the situation remains serious. There is a lot of non co-operation by the authorities on what the European Union would like to see happen.
The Taoiseach said he had a bilateral meeting with the Polish Prime Minister. Was that at the Taoiseach's instigation? Apart from telling him that he supported his application for enlargement, did the Taoiseach discuss any new initiatives on drug trafficking as Poland is one of the major countries where man-made drugs are made?
The meeting was held at Prime Minister Buzek's request. We discussed that issue during our discussion of the meeting's agenda. He outlined to me his economic reforms and how he hoped his country could be integrated into the European Union as quickly as possible. He outlined his programme of privatisation, his hopes for radical economic reform and his efforts to give a better deal to the citizens. He was a Solidarity leader in the early 1970s and he is anxious to follow the practices of social cohesion and to follow the labour laws. We had a discussion on some of those issues and how they affect his country. He was at pains to tell me and the other leaders he met during the day and over the past number of months that he is anxious to be one of the first countries to avail of a treaty of accession as soon as possible.
In view of the fact that the secular republic of Turkey came into existence around the same time as the USSR and that western Europe included Turkey in the European family more as a means of containment of the Soviet empire than as an expression of a recognition of that country's European identity, did any member state at the conference which the Taoiseach attended, including the Irish Government, indicate if they were fully committed to allowing Turkey to become a full member of the European Union, notwithstanding the civil rights abuses which exist not just in Turkey but in countries such as Slovakia?
That did not happen at the European Conference. However, as I said earlier, there were long evening meetings and debates which lasted several hours at the European Council in November and December to see if it would be included on the list. All the member states want to see this issue resolved. However, it will not be possible to resolve it in the short term because an electoral contest must take place. They are unlikely to respond to any of the overtures from the Presidency or from other countries before that election. That is part of the reason there has not been quick progress on that issue. I attended that Council meeting and heard the views of representatives of countries that are much closer to that situation than we are and have been involved in it for a much longer period. Notwithstanding the difficulties, people are of the view it has not complied with the relevant terms. I met the Prime Minister of Turkey at the November meeting. However, there are some concerns about Turkey joining the community in the shorter term. There are issues other than the civil rights one that are of concern, but civil rights is the main concern and that was stressed strongly to them at the two meetings in November and December at which this matter was discussed.