asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government have any plans to raise the question of a solution to the Northern Ireland problem at EEC Council level during the forthcoming Irish presidency.

The Deputy will no doubt be aware that the competence of the EEC Council of Ministers is confined to those matters covered by the Treaties.

I should say that it is the policy of the Government to secure the interest and support of the international community and particularly of our partners in the European Community in the search for a solution to the problem of Northern Ireland. We have made that clear repeatedly and most recently following the adoption by the European Parliament of a resolution in relation to the Northern Ireland problem.

The Deputy can take it that I will use every appropriate opportunity to ensure that our partners are aware of our position on the problem of Northern Ireland.

Does the Minister agree that that is a rather dated reply because, obviously since the reply was drafted, we have had the Forum report which adds an extra dimension to the matter? Would the Minister also agree that the contents of the Forum report and the thinking behind it should be brought, as a matter of extreme importance, to the notice of our partners in the EEC by the Minister for Foreign Affairs?

That seems to be another question.

It is a related question.

It is big enough to be a separate question.

I cannot accept that my reply is dated because the Forum report has been presented to Governments of all the member states and has been discussed with senior officials in those states since its publication. It has also been made available to members of the European Commission, to the President of the European Parliament and the Secretary General of the Council.