Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs
2018 State of the Union Address and Related Matters: European Commission Representation in Ireland
2:00 pm
Mr. Gerry Kiely:
I mentioned that we would like to take more foreign policy decisions by qualified majority for example. At the moment unanimity is required. If the European Council, the Commission, or Federica Mogherini wishes to put out a statement, unanimity is required. If one country says "no", we cannot put out a statement. It is a crazy situation. There could be a move to qualified majority voting in respect of decisions in that area, but agreement of the 28 would be required to allow that to apply.