THE fight against drug trafficking and crimes against children is a priority of the Irish Presidency of the European Union, the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, said in Strasbourg yesterday.
In a state of the union address to the European Parliament, Mr Bruton said: "Recent events brought home us all the obscene and shocking crimes perpetrated against children on our Continent. The Irish presidency is working closely with the other member states to draw up measures at EU level to deal with this most evil of crimes."
Mr Bruton said the presidency had proposed that the mandate of Europol, a fledgling European police force, be extended to deal with trafficking in children.
He hoped that during their meeting in Dublin next week, justice and home affairs ministers would give their agreement to that initiative.
All the member states had seen increased crime over the past few decades, he said. They did not want the single market for goods and services to become a single market for drugs and crime.
He hoped the European Council meeting in Dublin in December would adopt substantive measures in the fight against drug trafficking.
The presidency also was committed to finding a solution to the BSE crisis, Mr Bruton said. The solution would be based on the restoration of consumer confidence and the adoption of interim measures to ensure the survival of beef producers.
Ireland's presidency had summarised citizens concerns in four phrases secure jobs, safer streets, sound money and a peaceful Europe.
There were more unemployed people in the EU today than the combined population of the four smallest member states of the union. This contributed to crime and social exclusion. Europe's welfare systems were being stretched to their limits by unemployment.
If the solution was not to reduce income expectations, then it must be to raise our skill levels and thus enhance the competitiveness of the workforce.
That required co ordinated European action on basic education and training and on the mutual recognition of qualifications.
Mr Bruton said the EU must tackle five principal tasks over the coming years. These were to make the EU more relevant to its citizens, to successfully conclude the Inter Governmental Conference, to make the single currency a reality, to complete the next round of enlargement to the East and South and to secure Europe's place in the world.
He said the IGC, aimed at drawing up a new treaty in the light of the enlargement of the EU, was making good progress.
He was particularly pleased that treaty provisions on employment, crime and drugs were receiving serious consideration.
On the single currency, Mr Bruton said it would eliminate exchange rate risks and transaction costs for trade, tourism, and investment between participating member states. It would place Europe firmly centre stage in the global economy.