Written answers
Tuesday, 8 April 2014
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Arms Trade
Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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67. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when his Department was made aware that by signing the arms trade treaty in 2013 that they needed an EU decision by the Council in order to ratify it, in view of the fact that the treaty covered an area not within the competence of member states, but rather an exclusive competence of the EU; in view of the fact that the EU approval has been given, when he expects Ireland to be in a position to deposit the ratification instruments with the United Nations in New York; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16489/14]
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland formally ratified the Arms Trade Treaty on Wednesday, 2 April, in the company of Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The Treaty covers matters which fall within the respective areas of competence of the Member States and the European Union. Accordingly, it was understood from the time of the conclusion of the Treaty's negotiation that an EU Council Decision would be required for EU Member States to ratify it as well completion of their national procedures. I informed the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade of this when I presented the terms of the Arms Trade Treaty to it before the Dáil gave its approval on 6 November 2013.
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