Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position with regard to the nuclear agreement between the United States and India. [10393/07]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position of the Government regarding the nuclear trading agreement between the United States and India; the effect that this agreement has on the strength of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10412/07]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position which Ireland will take on the US-India agreement at the next meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10625/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 134, 154 and 238 together.

In July 2005, President Bush and Prime Minister Singh agreed to establish a new strategic partnership between their two countries. One element of that partnership was a proposed agreement on civil nuclear cooperation. In March 2006, the two leaders announced that agreement had been reached. On 9 December 2006 the US Congress adopted the Henry J Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act, which was subsequently signed into law by President Bush.

A number of further steps remain, however, before civil nuclear cooperation can commence between the US and India, including the conclusion of a formal bilateral agreement between the two countries (which must also be approved by the US Congress), negotiation by India of a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and a decision in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to exempt India from its export guidelines.

We have been closely following developments on the US-India deal and have had useful contacts with both the US and India on the issue. Three separate discussions on the proposed agreement have been held at the NSG since the March 2006 announcement and Ireland has played an active role, along with several other countries, in seeking to clarify a number of issues.

On 18 October 2006 I received the Prime Minister of India's Special Envoy on Civil Nuclear Cooperation, Mr Shyam Saran. In the course of our discussions I conveyed to him Ireland's deep-rooted commitment to the NPT and reiterated our disappointment that India remained outside it. While recognizing India's energy needs and its great and growing economic and political importance, I stressed Ireland's concerns over the potential impact of the US-India deal on the NPT and the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Useful technical discussions were also held at official level.

The next NSG Plenary meeting is scheduled for mid April in Cape Town, South Africa. The timing of any proposal in the NSG will be determined by the pace and outcome of Indian negotiations with the IAEA on safeguards, and with the US on the bilateral agreement. It appears highly unlikely that these two elements will have progressed to the extent necessary for the Plenary in Cape Town to take a decision. Such a decision is likely to be delayed at least until a meeting of the NSG later in the year, and possibly later.

As to the position we will eventually take, not all elements are yet clear and we would wish to have the fullest possible information in order to make a considered judgment. Ultimately, our final view will depend on our assessment of the potential impact of the deal on the global non-proliferation regime, but also on the approach taken by normally like-minded countries and the overall balance of views within the NSG.