asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress that was made at the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe held in Strasbourg on 28 April 1983 in the humanitarian sector of the Helsinki Final Act.

At their 72nd Session, on 28 April 1983 at Strasbourg, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe discussed, among other things, the Madrid Follow-up Meeting of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, The Committee of Ministers were agreed in stressing the importance of reaching a successful conclusion of the Madrid meeting as soon as possible on the basis of a balanced and substantial document which would provide, among other things, for substantial progress in areas covered by the humanitarian sector of the Helsinki Final Act. These views were reflected in the communiqué of the Strasbourg meeting, a copy of which is to be found in the Dáil Library.

The Madrid Follow-up Meeting of the CSCE concluded on 9 September last. It is the view of the Government, and that of the Governments of the other member states of the European Community, that the Concluding Document of the Madrid Follow-up Meeting is both substantial and balanced. I have arranged to have copies of the Concluding Document placed in the Dáil Library.

6.