Harney Drunk at Forum on Europe

by ec Fri Mar 05, 2004 13:16

RELAND'S essential public services - including the provision of health, education, and natural resources - will not be re-deregulated or dismantled as the EU moves to open up trade on a global scale, the Tanaiste said yesterday.

Despite suggestions that public services - including RTE could be privatised under a new EU constitution encouraging world trade, Ms Harney told members of the National Forum on Europe that the draft constitution would have no impact on such services.

"There is no evidence whatsoever that the European Union is hostile to public service broadcasting, that it wishes to close down museums or that it wishes to undermine public education," she said.

She added: "There is nothing in existing or proposed EU law that would require us to privatise any utility."

Furthermore, she said that while the EU embraces further opening up world trade and developing services as a commodity through the World Trade Agreement, there is no hidden agenda to privatise or dismantle such services.

"The reality is that we in Ireland fully agree that government must remain free to make its own choices regarding public services in the context of the current WTO Trade Round. These talks are about opening up trade, not about de-regulating services," she said.

by JMcK Fri Mar 05, 2004 08:57

A recent study reported on RTE Radio claimed that after wiping clean the sistern covers in the Dail Eireanns toilets , seven of eleven later swabbed proved positive for cocaine.

Should we be concerned who is sniffing such a destructive and mind altering substances in our national Parliament?

(Eamonn Dunphy was not in the building on the day in question)

by SP member Fri Mar 05, 2004 00:30

Of course Harney says she would like to retain the veto, it would be politically difficult for her not to say that. However, her answer to questions from Deirdre DeBurca (GP) and Mary Lou McDonald (SF) give a far better indication of her real attitude. She stated that any negotiation involves give and take and the same would apply to negotiation on EU constitution. In other words "we say we are opposed to it but when push comes to shove we will back down". Now if there was an attempt to take away Ireland's right to have low business taxes, you can be sure that we would see fireworks.

by seedot Thu Mar 04, 2004 21:38

The bit about education, health etc.

"The European Convention also proposed that the Council, in line with the general use of QMV in the trade area, should no longer act unanimously in regard to the negotiation and conclusion of international agreements in the fields of trade in social services and health and educational services.

Ireland, along with a number ofpartners, has proposed in the IGC that unanimity be retained. This is because it would be more consistent with our general approach to subsidiarity and the use of QMV. The IGC is still underway, as we are all aware. Our national preference remains to keep unanimity in this area."

She seems to put a get out re. the constitution just below:

"From a national position, we will take a view on the overall balance of final IGC texts in the light of the issues and preferences we have raised.

Over the years, Irish governments have acted in the belief that the national interest is achieved by approaching all issues on a balance of interest basis, and not always one by one, isolated from each other."

Of interest as well

"Any fair examination will show that the EU's formal request, and initial offer, to our WTO trading partners, which were finalised and submitted to our WTO partners in July 2002 and April 2003 respectively, are fully in line with publicly stated objectives. "


So the offer in 2003 to open up Airport Management and Groundhandling Services is in line with publicly stated objectives. Someone should tell the Aer Rianta workers.

by seedot Thu Mar 04, 2004 21:34

Janus is correct - Harney has acknowledged the article 133 committee and supports the secrecy of the committees discussions. During the recent DAPSE campaign on 133 the following PQ's were submitted by Joe Higgins - Mary Harneys answer is below


DAIL QUESTION NOS. 107, 108

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will put in the public domain documents being presented by the Government to the EU Article 133 Committee meeting to be held in Dublin on 20 February 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. - Joe Higgins.

* For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 12th February, 2004.

Ref No: 4389/04


To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the matters discussed and conclusions reached at the EU Article 133 Committee meeting to be held in Dublin on 20 February 2004 will be put in the public domain; and if she will make a statement on the matter. - Joe Higgins.

* For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 12th February, 2004.

Ref No: 4390/04




R E P L Y


Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms. Harney)


I propose to answer questions nos. 107 and 108 together.


Documents and reports presented to and circulated for discussion at 133 committee meetings are internal negotiating documents in the context of international multilateral trade talks and as such are restricted to members of the Committee. In accordance with EU Treaty provisions trade policy is a Community competence. This means that the European Commission initiate proposals which are submitted to the 133 consultative committee, as designated by the Treaty, prior to their submission for approval by Council.

Hence, documents circulated for discussion at the 133 Committees
contain information communicated in confidence to officials within an
international institution representative of all EU Member States. As the Article 133 Committees are created under the EU Treaty provisions as consultative bodies to the European Commission, it is not the
practice to publicize their discussions.

[ends]

An interesting question would be whether the European (Public Scrutiny) Act 2002 could be broguht to bear on these 'proposals' which will be submitted ' for approval by the Council'. This is almost the exact wording of this act, even without the strengthened wording from the (rejected) Sinn Fein amendment.

Any chance of getting this raised Jonah?

by Janus Thu Mar 04, 2004 19:08

Her speech is available on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment website. I think she has acknowledged its existence. I seem to remember Joe Higgins raised the issue and was told that they were closed to the public because if they were open it might hamper trade negotiations or something like that. I certainly don't think she denies their existence.

Fair play to all involved and DAPSE in partiucalr for keeping this issue in the public eye.

by ec Thu Mar 04, 2004 18:54

And the fact that Ireland's negotiating position in WTO negotiations re commitments to the 'liberalisation' of public services is a secret? Because she hasn't before.