asked the Minister for Agriculture the total amount and value of lamb and mutton exported from this country to France in each of the years 1957 to 1962, together with the total to date in 1963; if he will outline the present trading arrangements between this country and France for the lamb and mutton trade; and whether any further opening of the French market to Irish lamb is probable in the near future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Lamb and Mutton Exports.
3.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a table giving the statistics asked for in the first part of the question.
As regards the second part of the question, the position under the Irish-French Trade Agreement is that when the French Government permit imports of mutton and lamb from sources outside the European Economic Community, Ireland is given the opportunity of supplying on the same terms as other countries.
As regards the third part of the question, I understand that the recent imports of lamb into France were permitted in conditions of relative scarcity which have now eased and, accordingly, I cannot say that there is a prospect of the resumption of Irish lamb exports to France at an early date.
AMOUNT and value of Lamb and Mutton exported to France in each year 1957-1962 and in the period January-March, 1963.
|
Quantity (cwt.) |
Value (£) |
|||||||||||||
|
Description |
Year |
Jan.- Mar. 1963 |
Year |
Jan.- Mar .1963 |
||||||||||
|
1957 |
1958 |
1959 |
1960 |
1961 |
1962 |
1957 |
1958 |
1959 |
1960 |
1961 |
1962 |
|||
|
Mutton and Lamb: |
||||||||||||||
|
Fresh or chilled |
6,554 |
3,037 |
— |
— |
— |
6,434 |
7,151 |
109,823 |
42,741 |
— |
— |
— |
89,341 |
101,033 |
|
Frozen |
— |
— |
4 |
— |
— |
148 |
— |
— |
— |
89 |
— |
— |
1,861 |
— |
Does France not share with us under the terms of OECD an obligation progressively to abolish quota restrictions on imports and, if so, is there any ascertainable time in the future when France will cease to control by import quotas imports of lamb?
I do not understand that to be the position.
I understood the Minister to say that France permitted imports of lamb other than from EEC countries; I presume that implies that she restricts imports from European countries other than EEC countries and, at certain stages, allows limited imports from other countries. Is that not a quota restriction within the terms of the OECD Charter?
What I said was:
As regards the second part of the question, the position under the Irish-French Trade Agreement is that when the French Government permit imports of mutton and lamb from sources outside the European Economic Community, Ireland is given the opportunity of supplying on the same terms as other countries.
I appreciate that, but the EEC consists of six countries and OECD of four, of which we are one and France another. I understand we share with France an obligation progressively to limit the operation of the quota system and to substitute tariff restrictions for quota restrictions. Does France not seem to be maintaining against us a physical quota restriction on lamb and, unless she intends at some future date to substitute some kind of tariff protection, surely that is not meeting her responsibilities under our mutual responsibility in OECD?
I am replying here to the specific question addressed to me as to what the trade agreement conditions are.
And what they will probably be in the near future?
That I do not know and I cannot, therefore, express any view on it.