asked the Minister for External Affairs (i) whether the Government are satisfied with the scale and scope of this country's contribution to Europe's co-operative efforts to explore and exploit space for peaceful purposes, bearing in mind that while Ireland is a member of CETS (the European Conference on Satellite Communications) she is not a member of either ESRO (the European Space Research Organisation) or ELDO (the European Launcher Development Organisation); (ii) whether the Government, having sent an observer to the First European Ministerial Conference on Space in Paris in December, 1966 (a) will, in any event, designate an observer to the Committee of Alternates set up by that Conference, and (b) will, if possible, subsequently join the First Conference's Resolution of 13th December, 1966, in time to be associated in the Second Conference which is to be held, in principle, in July, 1967, in accordance with the invitation extended in paragraph 5 of the aforementioned Resolution and in harmony with the policy advocated in paragraph 10 of Recommendation 477 (1967) of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Space Exploration.
1.
Since the First European Ministerial Space Conference, held in Paris in December, 1966, careful consideration has been given to this country's role in contributing to the European Space Programme. Having regard to the economic, technical and financial considerations involved, the Government is satisfied with the present scale and scope of this country's contribution to European space co-operation. Ireland had an observer at the meetings of the Committee of Alternates and was represented at the Second European Space Conference which took place in Rome this month.