9 September 1998

COMMENTS BY WILFRIED MARTENS, CHAIRMAN OF THE EPP GROUP
IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
ON THE OCCASION OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE SCHUMAN MEDAL
TO MR.JOHN BRUTON TD,
LEADER OF FINE GAEL (IRELAND)

I would like to welcome John Bruton here today.

John Bruton has held with distinction the highest political offices in his own country and in the council of Ministers of the European Union. In all his political activities he has shown a strong sense of service and leadership. He was first elected to Parliament in 1969 and became a junior Minister in 1973 and a Minister in 1975. Since then he has occupied the most senior positions in our sister party, Fine Gael, and in the Irish government.

As a young politician John Bruton played a pivotal role in the education of the Irish electorate on the importance of the European ideal and on Ireland's participation. His ideas and political ambitions coincided with those of the European Christian Democratic Movement and it was therefore no surprise that his party, Fine Gael, joined the EPP Group. John Bruton has dedicated his whole life to politics and to the welfare of the people he represents. He has maintained this dedication and enthusiasm and his commitment to the European ideal has never wavered.

John Bruton was responsible for leading one of the most successful European Union Presidencies in recent history, during 1996.

His priorities

crime prevention and the fight against drug trafficking,

unemployment,

the environment in every sense of that word-

were also our priorities.

His policy of full cooperation with the European Parliament and indeed with this Group guaranteed the success of the Presidency and substantial progress on a wide range of European policies. John Bruton was the first leader of an Irish political party in Ireland to depart from the traditional consensus on Irish neutrality and declare support for a common European security in which Ireland would participate.

As Taoiseach and as party leader he has made and continues to make a substantial contribution to the search for peace in Northern Ireland. His genuine belief and action both as Taoiseach and as party leader in pursuing reconciliation between the two traditions on the island of Ireland mirrors our commitment to pluralism in the pursuit of the European ideal.

John, we congratulate you on your many successes as an Irish and European politician and we look forward to the time when you will again lead your country as Taoiseach.

Please accept this medal, the Schuman medal, as a token of our appreciation for your unparalleled contribution to peace and prosperity in your own country, to Christian Democracy, and to European integration.


WILFRIED MARTENS

***


SPEECH BY JOHN BRUTON TD
LEADER OF FINE GAEL (IRL)
ON THE OCCASION OF HIS BEING PRESENTED
WITH THE SCHUMAN MEDAL

Meeting of the EPP Group, European Parliament, Brussels
9 September 1998


It is a great honour to accept this medal, in recognition of the work done, especially during the Irish EU Presidency, to bring Europe closer together.

The agreement on a stability pact to underpin the introduction of the ‘Euro' was a great achievement of the Irish Presidency. This enabled the ‘Euro' to be, in effect, established last May - in good time before the worldwide currency instability originating in Asia. The currency stability created by the ‘Euro' makes Europe the strongest pole of economic strength in the world today.

This is a big change. Only two or three years ago Europe was the sick man of the world economy. Today it has the world's healthiest economy. This is due to the decisive step to set up the Single Currency. If we had flinched from that step, Europe would not be as economically strong as it is today.

The political will to set up the ‘Euro' was incarnated in the person, the personality, and the political will of Chancellor Kohl. His will was converted into political reality by other political leaders, like Jose-Maria Aznar, Jean-Luc Dehaene, Jean-Claude Juncker and Jacques Santer. Their political skill in overcoming these difficult issues at the Dublin and other Summits was of crucial importance.

I am sorry that Britain is not in the ‘Euro' already. The British economy would be better protected from unstable global forces inside the ‘Euro' than outside.

Europe must develop a strong political personality on the world stage. My biggest regret at the Amsterdam Summit was that, on the economic side, the Commission did not get a mandate to negotiate for the Union on services in the WTO, as it already does on goods. Services are the economic growth area of the future, and the Union should speak on them with one voice.

We must also speak with one voice in Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence. The fact of 250,000 refugees in Kosovo is eloquent testimony to Europe's weaknesses in this area in the past.

Prevention is better than cure. I welcome the fact that there will be close cooperation in future between the policy planning and Early Warning Unit under the High Representative of the European Union, and the crisis management facility that is being developed within the Western European Union.

On a pragmatic basis, and respecting the different composition, membership, and role of the two organisations, we must develop an integrated analysis and problem-solving capacity between the EU and the WEU.

In internal affairs, the European Union must retain a strong motor for forward movement. That motor is the Commission. As the Union expands, the Commission's prerogatives and its power of initiative must be preserved and enhanced. Europe will degenerate quickly if intergovernmentalism and minimalism are allowed to undermine the Commission.

The success of the European Movement provides an excellent example for Ireland as we work to build reconciliation on our own island. The achievement of Europe in overcoming the bitterness of two world wars, and several regional conflicts which had similar characteristics to the Northern Ireland problem, should be an inspiration, not just for Ireland but for places of conflict throughout the world.

In practical terms, the European Union has provided substantial moral and financial support to our peace process. This has allowed us to develop many cross-community initiatives which are already demonstrating how much can be achieved when you bring people together in pursuit of common goals.

I know that we can count on the continued support of the Union as we endeavour to build a lasting peace settlement.

Big compromises are required from all sides. No group can be excluded from the democratic exercise of power ever again. We are removing the gun from Irish politics, not just for a generation, but for all time.

There must be no looking back. No conditionality. The threat, or even the hint, of violence will disappear from the Irish political language. Everyone has signed up to that.