Austin Deasy
Question:18 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland fully supports Hungary's application for membership of the European Union. [5759/00]
Vol. 516 No. 5
18 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland fully supports Hungary's application for membership of the European Union. [5759/00]
56 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details on progress on EU enlargement. [8303/00]
148 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland supports the application of Hungary to become a full member of the EU; and, if so, the reservations, if any, the Government has expressed in this regard. [6042/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 56, and 148 together.
As Deputies will be aware, the current accession process was launched by the 15 EU member states, the ten central and eastern European states and Cyprus on 30 March 1998. The following day, actual negotiations were inaugurated with the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Cyprus. These countries are often referred to as the "ins". Negotiations have continued with these countries since then on a policy chapter basis.
At the same time, a preparatory process for negotiations continued with the other original applicants, the so-called "pre-ins"– Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia. Malta joined this group in 1999.