Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 7: To ask the Taoiseach the number of meetings planned by the National Forum on Europe during 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3536/08]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 8: To ask the Taoiseach the foreign visits he plans to undertake during 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3552/08]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 9: To ask the Taoiseach when he will next meet with the President of the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3553/08]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 10: To ask the Taoiseach his plans for official visits abroad during 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36118/07]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 11: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his recent visit to South Africa. [36119/07]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 12: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his visit to South Africa. [1326/08]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 13: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his discussions with President Mbeki, during his recent visit to South Africa. [1480/08]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 14: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Tanzania. [1481/08]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 15: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to South Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1589/08]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 16: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the South African President, Mr. Thabo Mbeki; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1590/08]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 17: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to Tanzania; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1591/08]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 18: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his discussions with President Jakaya Kikwete during his recent visit to Tanzania. [1906/08]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 19: To ask the Taoiseach the work programme for the National Forum of Europe for 2008; the role the Forum will play in the provision of information on the Lisbon reform treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4654/08]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 20: To ask the Taoiseach if he has received an agenda for the March 2008 EU summit; the Government's priorities for the summit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4655/08]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 21: To ask the Taoiseach the number and planned location of meetings scheduled by the National Forum on Europe during 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4973/08]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 21, inclusive, together.

I visited South Africa between 13 and 15 January, accompanied by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Micheál Martin, and the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for overseas development, Deputy Michael Kitt.

The key objectives of the visit were to further develop Irish-South African bilateral and trade relations, leading the largest ever Irish trade mission to South Africa with more than 50 companies participating including businesses from Northern Ireland, and also to visit Irish Aid funded development projects.

In Cape Town, I visited the Niall Mellon Township Trust, where I announced that the Irish Government is providing €5 million to support the work of the trust in Cape Town and Johannesburg. I also attended a reception for the Irish community in South Africa hosted by the Irish ambassador to South Africa as well as visiting a number of businesses and charitable organisations with Irish links.

In Johannesburg, I attended a breakfast organised by Tourism Ireland with the aim of promoting the image of the island of Ireland as a destination to South African tourists and business travellers. I also visited a seminar organised by An Bord Bia in the wake of the recent reopening of the South African market to Irish beef and attended a business lunch organised by Enterprise Ireland to promote and further develop Irish-South African trade links.

In Pretoria, I met with both President Mbeki and with the Deputy President. President Mbeki and I noted the positive bilateral relations between our two countries and discussed a range of political and trade and development issues. President Mbeki briefed me on the current political situation in Zimbabwe, the prospects for successful elections there and his role as mediator. We both expressed the wish for a peaceful solution to the crises facing Zimbabwe and for policy change which would ensure full respect for the human rights and dignity of its people.

I referred to the impending deployment of some 400 members of the Irish Defence Forces with the UN mandated EU military mission in Chad, and the fact that an Irishman, Lieutenant General Pat Nash, is the operational commander of that mission. I also took the opportunity to express Ireland's great admiration for South Africa's impressive achievements as a young democracy along with my personal appreciation to President Mbeki and the people of South Africa for their sensitive support for the peace process in Northern Ireland, which many of their people gave over recent years.

My subsequent meeting with the Deputy President expanded on many of the issues we discussed during her visit to Dublin in November 2006. Once again, we had a cordial and constructive discussion on a number of issues. We discussed recent progress in South Africa's economic development including in the area of education and training. I assured the Deputy President of Ireland's support for furthering skills training for young South Africans and we agreed to mutually explore ways to assist South Africa in learning from Ireland's experience in this area.

I also reaffirmed the Government's commitment to continuing to provide development assistance through our Irish Aid programmes including assistance for the major challenges posed by the effects of the HIV-AIDS pandemic. Finally, I welcomed the decision of the South African Government to reopen the market for Irish beef. I thanked the Deputy President for the political support provided on this issue and said I hoped my visit would help to further strengthen the already strong political, trade and development links between Ireland and South Africa.

On the conclusion of my visit to South Africa, I travelled to Tanzania, accompanied by the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for overseas development, Deputy Michael Kitt, to see at first hand the impact of Irish Aid's development programme in that country. I visited several projects supported by Irish Aid in key areas such as health, education and agriculture. I had a wide range of contacts with people whose lives have been transformed as a result of Irish Aid support; with NGOs and others, including Irish missionaries working on the front line; with senior members of the media; and with the political leadership in Tanzania.

It was a most useful and thorough programme. I was extremely heartened to see the profound effect that targeted assistance can have on the everyday lives of some of the poorest people on the planet. For example, I witnessed the immediate impact on the health and well-being of people as a result of providing a clean fresh water supply and in the provision of badly needed health services. It was also a pleasure to meet the many Irish people delivering essential front line assistance and I would like to pay tribute to their commitment.

During my visit, I met with President Kikwete. We had a wide-ranging discussion on our respective economies in the course of which I repeated Ireland's ongoing commitment to development in Tanzania, which will involve some €170 million in direct bilateral assistance between 2007 and 2010. This year alone, the direct aid figure will be approximately €40 million. In particular, we discussed the importance of good governance for the provision of effective aid, greater trade and investment and enhanced international relations. I commended the president on the strong position he has taken on the need to tackle corruption, the action he has recently taken in this regard and the need to continue with his efforts.

We also discussed some of the challenges that exist in other parts of Africa including Zimbabwe, where the situation remains a cause for grave concern, and the more recent developments in Kenya which could have severe implications for Tanzania. I welcomed the mediation role being played by Tanzania and noted that Ireland and Tanzania share a proud tradition of peacekeeping activities. In this regard, I briefed the president on the role that Ireland will now be playing in Chad.

In conclusion, I confirmed that Tanzania is a particularly important partner in Ireland's development programme and we will continue to provide assistance in close collaboration with the Tanzanian Government to help realise the full potential of all its people.

Working through government systems is an effective approach which allows us to provide sustainable support for key sectors in partnership, and in line with the priorities of, the Tanzanian Government. Needless to say, we will also ensure that we continue to support our NGO partners in their valuable work, both in Tanzania and elsewhere.

With regard to my travel plans for 2008, I will of course attend all the European Councils during the year. I propose to travel to Slovenia, Austria and Poland next week for a series of bilateral meetings and for an engagement with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. I will make my usual annual visit to the United States for St. Patrick's Day on 17 March. I have also been invited to address the Joint Houses of Congress in the US on 30 April. In addition, I propose to attend the Fifth Summit of the Heads of State and Government of Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Union in Lima, Peru on 16 May 2008. I also propose to attend the EU-Asia Summit which will be held in Beijing, China in October 2008.

The National Forum on Europe is an independent body and it would be inappropriate for me to comment on its day-to-day operation or on its likely future work programme. I am, however, sure it will play a key role in the debate on the reform treaty in the run up to the referendum. I welcome its recent publication and the fact that it is holding public meetings around the country.

I received the first draft of the annotated draft agenda for the spring European Council recently. The launch of the new cycle for the Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs, the stability of financial markets and energy and climate change policy will feature in the discussion at the spring European Council. The draft agenda was the subject of a first discussion at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on Monday.

I have no firm arrangements to meet with President Barroso ahead of seeing him at the European Council in Brussels on 13 and 14 March.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is appropriate that I should congratulate the Taoiseach and wish him the best on being invited to address the joint Houses of Congress in the United States. After a lengthy period as Taoiseach he has achieved a first for a Fianna Fáil Taoiseach and is following in the footsteps of the two Cosgraves, father and son, as well as Garret FitzGerald and John Bruton.

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Members heard this list from Deputy Kenny a few months ago.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Mr. de Valera addressed the Houses of Congress in his capacity as President. It will be an interesting April for the Taoiseach. As he is aware, he will begin his address to one congress on 1 April and to another Congress on 30 April. At some point during the Taoiseach's contribution to the joint Houses of Congress, he should be in a position to refer to progress being made on the undocumented Irish problem, that is, the immigration problem to the United States, arising from the bilateral all-party agreement in this House. Hopefully this could become a reality and I wish the Taoiseach well in this regard.

I refer to the increasing complexities and logistical nightmare associated with the Chad mission and the obvious tinderbox that is Kosovo. Would it be appropriate, even for an interim period, for the Taoiseach to call together a group comprising himself and representatives from the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Foreign Affairs and Defence to monitor the situation in respect of the ongoing safety of Irish troops and Defence Forces personnel in both Chad and Kosovo? The Garda is also involved in this matter.

Has the Taoiseach decided yet on a date for the EU reform treaty referendum? As the Taoiseach is aware, a significant change will take place with regard to qualified majority voting as new competencies will be decided by that method. I am concerned that the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny may not be adequately resourced. A river of information is coming towards Members, who are ill-prepared for the avalanche of material coming from that source. In respect of the reform treaty, the Government should see to it that the requisite personnel and staff are in place to deal with that flood of information. One does not wish to see a situation arise whereby questions may be asked that cannot be answered. A great deal of this information can be quite complex for the average Member serving on the joint committee. In the national interest, the Government should ensure that this joint committee is serviced properly in order that Members in attendance are adequately informed on the issues that arise from the Commission, the Parliament and the Council.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I refer to the grouping together of questions Nos. 7 to 21. There is no relationship between the work of the National Forum on Europe and its scheduled meetings on the Lisbon treaty, the EU reform treaty or whatever name one wishes to call it, and the Taoiseach's meeting with President Mbeki in South Africa. I do not understand this grouping, which is an absolute mishmash of questions and is completely inappropriate. In the brief opportunity provided, Members cannot address any of these matters in the serious detail they deserve.

I will conclude with a single question. Unfortunately, I will be obliged to leave to one side the scheduling of the National Forum on Europe. When the Taoiseach met President Mbeki in South Africa, was the issue of Zimbabwe discussed in detail? Did the Taoiseach emphasise the importance of addressing the outrageous situation that applies in that country? Did the Taoiseach convey to President Mbeki the views of the Irish people, which I understand are shared across this House? Did they discuss what actions, if any, the Taoiseach believed the South African or Irish Governments could take or what impression both men intended to make on the international community to address the situation in Zimbabwe?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Like Deputy Kenny, I wish the Taoiseach well in his forthcoming address to the joint Houses of Congress. Does he intend to raise the issue of the undocumented Irish during his two planned visits to the United States?

As for the EU meeting, I refer to developments in Kosovo last weekend. Will Ireland formally recognise Kosovo? The Minister for Foreign Affairs has not made clear the exact Irish position. Has the Government considered the implications for the mandate for Ireland's participation in the international security presence in Kosovo, KFOR, which is authorised under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999? In the absence of UN recognition for an independent Kosovo, will it be possible for Ireland to maintain a contribution to the international military presence in Kosovo, under NATO or other auspices, without a UN mandate? What timeframe has been outlined to sort out the mandate of the Irish troops? This matter is important in respect of both the troops' ability to operate if their mandate has been compromised by the changes that took place last weekend and Ireland's consequent positions on those changes.

Does the Government propose to have monitors participate in the forthcoming elections in Zimbabwe? The Government's position in this regard is unclear to me. Moreover, in respect of the trouble in Kenya, it is now agreed that more than 1,000 people are dead. A massive amount of intercommunal violence has taken place, much of which has been targeted against women and children as has happened in Darfur, including rape and sexual violence against women.

Thankfully, Ireland now is among the major contributors to international aid. While I commend the Taoiseach on his visit to southern Africa and to Tanzania, is Ireland pulling its weight with regard to the level of contribution it makes in respect of aid at present? The issue of land reform is central to the dispute in Kenya. Moreover, it is central to the historic legacy of that which has now pauperised Zimbabwe. In that unfortunate country, people no longer have enough to feed their families. Can the Taoiseach be more precise as to what he envisages Ireland doing to assist actively in decelerating such conflicts and to solving thorny issues in Africa such as land reform? Is the Government supporting initiatives that would lead to long-term real settlements? Members have only heard general stuff from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will make a number of points. Obviously, the Government will continue to try to develop a consensus on the undocumented Irish as it has done for the past few years. While I stated previously that it might be difficult to make much progress this year, we must continue to make our case. I will discuss it again with President Bush in a few weeks' time.

On the new reform treaty, I have indicated that I would like to deal with it before the end of May or early in June. Parties are working with the Attorney General's office and it would be important to finalise that in the next few days because then it could be brought before the Government next week. That would trigger the legislation for Members to debate in the House. I also am anxious to give three months to the referendum commission so perhaps we can try to get that in place.

On the committees, I agree with Deputy Kenny's point regarding the volume. When the committees were being set up, some people — not Deputy Kenny — stated that we appeared to be establishing too many of them. At the time, however, I made the point that this was due simply to the volume of work before the Houses. Parliamentarians understand this but perhaps those outside the Houses do not. A huge volume of work exists and I split up the two committees to allow them to deal with the volume of work. This is a matter for the commission. The committees in question are going to become increasingly busy for evermore. The issue of such business will be never-ending.

I refer to questions from Deputies Ó Caoláin, Kenny and Burton on Zimbabwe. This probably formed the longest part of my discussion because I was anxious to hear from President Mbeki, who was acting as the negotiator with Zimbabwe on behalf of the overall umbrella group in southern Africa. He gave me a long report and was to go to Zimbabwe the following day to try to make progress and work towards elections.

Time will not allow me to elaborate on every development; suffice it to say that, in the past year or two, the relevant parties have drafted a substantial amount of legislation and the new constitution. There is substantive agreement on some issues, but, as always in such circumstances, it has not been possible to resolve a few deal-crunching issues in respect of the election. One of the key issues is the question of when the president goes as part of the new election. That has been the key deal breaker since January and it has not been resolved since. President Mbeki and others have been involved in the process. President Levy Mwanawasa, whom I met in Tanzania, has taken over as the chairman of the South African Development Community.

On the general point, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and his predecessor have been actively engaged and very supportive of the reforms for a number of reasons. Ireland is highly respected in the region because it is contributing a lot of aid. Ireland is the sixth best donor in the world and a large part of our funds is channelled into the region. We have many key people on the ground and many of the traditional missionaries are still present. They are well known and have educated many of the leaders. Ireland has many substantial people in the UN organisations and NGOs and they are now very well known. We are engaging very substantively in the region. Our presence may not be large in number in comparison to other countries, but the people in question are certainly very significant.

On 17 February, the Kosovo Assembly adopted the resolution declaring Kosovo's independence. At the General Affairs Council on Monday, the Foreign Ministers noted the resolution and reiterated the European Union's commitment to the principles of the UN charter and the Helsinki Final Act, underlining that in light of the conflict of the 1990s and the extended period of international administration under Security Council Resolution 1244, Kosovo constitutes a sui generis case. The Council also noted that member states will decide in accordance with international practice and international law on the relations with Kosovo.

It is regrettable that lengthy negotiations have failed to produce an agreement with Belgrade and Pristina. A new UN Security Council resolution clarifying the position would have been greatly preferable to the current circumstances. A considerable effort was made by us and others to achieve such a resolution but the clear reality is that Serbia effectively lost Kosovo through its own actions in the 1990s. The legacy of the killing of thousands of civilians in Kosovo and the ethnic cleansing of over 1 million made the restoration of a Serbian dominion in Kosovo unthinkable.

The European Council agreed just before Christmas that the status quo in Kosovo was inherently unstable and that more than 90% of the population wanted independence. This is supported by our major partners in the European Union and beyond, many of whom have already recognised Kosovo. Taking all the circumstances into account, the Minister for Foreign Affairs intends to recommend that we recognise the Republic of Kosovo at next week's meeting of the Cabinet. To answer the Deputy's question, we will make a decision on this next week.

On the basis of positive advice from the Attorney General confirming the continuation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 in the aftermath of a declaration of independence, we are committed to maintaining our enhanced presence in KFOR, the UN-mandated international presence in Kosovo. We intend to contribute members of the Garda in the SDP mission and also to support the economic development of Kosovo.

The Minister for Defence spoke about Chad for an hour yesterday and there is not much point in repeating what he said. There is continuing international support for the deployment of EUFOR. The European Union has reaffirmed its commitment to the mission and the United Nations has condemned the rebels' actions. The deployment of 50 members of the Army rangers is expected to take place today. It is urgent that security and protection be provided for refugees. It is a considerable humanitarian issue and this was emphasised to me when I was in Africa. It has been emphasised to me by several countries since then. I am mindful of the need to minimise risk. We remain strongly committed to the humanitarian objectives of the EUFOR mission.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I asked the Taoiseach about the Irish troops' mandate in Kosovo.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I have answered it.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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If the United Nations does not recognise——

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We must move on. We are ten minutes behind.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I have answered the question and stated that, on the basis of positive advice from the Attorney General confirming the continuation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 in the aftermath of a declaration of independence, we are committed to maintaining our enhanced presence in KFOR, the UN-mandated international presence in Kosovo.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Is that the case even if the United Nations does not recognise an independent Kosovo? That is the net point.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The point is that the UN-mandated international military presence in Kosovo has reaffirmed its position. The Attorney General has advised that there is no difficulty for Ireland and we are, therefore, anxious to stay and maintain our position.