John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the areas of enhanced co-operation which are envisaged by Protocol 24 of Article I-41(2) of the EU constitution which states that the Union shall draw up, together with the Western European Union, arrangements for enhanced co-operation between them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6751/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Article I-41(2) of the European constitution provides for the possibility of a common EU defence policy, should the European Council acting unanimously so decide. The article, which is carried over from previous treaties, also provides that the specific character of the security and defence policy of member states shall not be prejudiced. Under the terms of Bunreacht na hÉireann, Ireland may not participate in an EU common defence. It is the Government's intention to propose to the people that this prohibition be carried over in the context of the ratification of the European constitution.

While a number of member states, such as Ireland and Sweden, have security and defence policies that are characterised by a commitment to neutrality or non-alignment, other member states are members of NATO and of the Western European Union. In the same way as the European constitution safeguards the specific character of the security and defence policies of neutral and non-aligned member states, it also recognises the need for compatibility between the security and defence policy of the European Union and that of NATO and the Western European Union. In this context, Protocol 24 of Article I-41(2) carries over the provision for co-operation between the European Union and the Western European Union.

I am not aware of any current proposals for enhanced co-operation between the European Union and the Western European Union. It should be noted that the provisions of Protocol 24 are entirely separate from the general provisions for enhanced co-operation between EU member states, as provided for in Article I-44 of the European constitution.