Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche has urged the Government not to "slavishly follow" Britain by opting out of EU efforts to pool sovereignty in judicial and police matters.
A decision to tie Ireland's fate to Britain in the proposed new EU treaty would undermine Irish influence in Europe, he said. It would also run counter to the wishes of ordinary people who want European states to co-operate more to tackle cross-border crime and the threat posed by terrorism, Mr Roche told The Irish Times yesterday.
"Britain is seen as Eurosceptic and semi-detached at European level. We would lose influence if we follow them on this matter Tying yourself to a Eurosceptic country doesn't win you any favours in Europe," said Mr Roche, who acknowledged there are differences of opinion within Government, particularly in the Department of Justice.
Mr Roche's comments come ahead of a crucial Government decision expected shortly on whether Ireland should opt out of a key part of the proposed EU reform treaty. This treaty is expected to replace the defunct EU constitution, which was rejected by French and Dutch voters in referendums in 2005. It will streamline how the EU takes decisions and remove national vetoes over EU decisions in justice and police matters.
The British government has negotiated a specific protocol in the treaty that means it does not automatically take part in EU decisions in the field of justice and police co-operation. It can choose to opt into particular decisions in this sensitive area but it may not be able to influence how the proposed European legislation is formulated.
At the June EU summit, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern negotiated the right for Ireland to follow Britain and choose to opt out of pooling sovereignty in the justice area. At the time he stressed Ireland's common border with Britain and our similar common law legal systems as reasons why the Government would need to review the issue.
Mr Roche said the Cabinet would decide whether to opt out in coming weeks, ahead of an EU summit in October where the reform treaty is expected to be finalised. He said he would urge his colleagues in the strongest terms to agree to pool sovereignty at EU level on judicial and police co-operation rather than follow Britain's opt out.
"I believe there is no coherent argument why we should automatically and slavishly follow Britain The last thing we need to do is separate ourselves from the European mainstream."