Vol. 244 No. 6
asked the Taoiseach if he has considered Ireland's position in relation to EEC entry especially taking into account the House of Commons statement by the British Prime Minister, Mr. Wilson, that if conditions produced in negotiation were not acceptable Britain could rely on her own strength outside the communities.
2.
asked the Taoiseach if in the light of the information contained in the British Government White Paper entitled Britain and the European Communities—An Economic Assessment the Government has reassessed and reconsidered the attitude of this country to the EEC; and, if so, if he will make a statement on the matter.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. As I stated in reply to questions addressed to me in this House on 4th February, a White Paper on the implications for Ireland of membership of the European Communities is being prepared.
If the circumstances envisaged in Question No. 1 arose they would create an entirely new situation for all the countries concerned and the Government's policy in that situation would be determined in the light of its assessment of the national interest.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say if it is still the policy of the Government to "go it alone" in the event of Britain's application not succeeding?
It was never necessarily that policy.
It was. The Parliamentary Secretary was not here.
If the situation envisaged in the Deputy's question were to arise the Government would consider the position then in the light of those circumstances.
What the Parliamentary Secretary is, in fact, saying is that since most of our trade is tied up with Britain we would obviously have to stay out if Britain decided to stay out.
That is not what he said.
That does not necessarily follow. If the position were to arise it would be assessed at that time in the light of the circumstances then obtaining.
It is true, why not admit it?
We are not a branch of a British Party as you are.(Interruptions.)
Order. Deputy Cosgrave.
Is it proposed in the White Paper to take into account the facts disclosed in the British White Paper?
The considerations expressed in the British White Paper do not necessarily apply to this country.
The cost of living?
The White Paper being prepared here is already fairly well advanced and some of the considerations mentioned in the British White Paper will obviously be dealt with in so far as they affect us here.
I did not ask about consideration but the facts disclosed in it in reference to consumer prices and also prices for agricultural produce.
I am not certain that it would be correct to state that everything in that White Paper can necessarily be accepted as fact. There is great divergence of opinion and the British Prime Minister was at pains to point out in the House of Commons when introducing the White Paper that quite a lot of the figures given in the White Paper were necessarily speculative and we, of course, would be in that position too.
Will the economic assessments involved in the British White Paper be considered in our own White Paper?
The economic assessments in the British White Paper affect Britain only. The considerations which underlie them will be considered in so far as they may or may not affect this country.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary agree that in the event of Britain withdrawing her application it would be unrealistic for us to pursue ours?
I have already stated in reply to that question that if that situation were to arise the Government would consider the position in the light of the circumstances.
Question No. 3.
3.
asked the Taoiseach whether the terms of reference for those preparing the Government's awaited White Paper on entry into the EEC include costing estimates as detailed as those contained in the White Paper presented by the British Government in the House of Commons.
4.
asked the Taoiseach if any estimated consumer costings consequent on entry to EEC will be included in the White Paper to be issued by the Government on Irish entry.
5.
asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to the British White Paper in relation to membership of the EEC; if it is a fact that food costs will increase from 18 to 20 per cent in the event of this country gaining membership; if a housewife with £10 per week to spend on food will require an extra £2 10s per week in order to purchase the same requirements; and if he will make a statement on this important aspect of EEC Membership.
6.
asked the Taoiseach if it is intended to issue a White Paper dealing with the possible cost of this country's entry to the Common Market.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 6 together.
As I indicated in this House on the 4th February, it is intended that the White Paper will give a full statement of the implications of membership of the European Communities to the extent that this can be done without prejudicing our negotiating position. Subject to that proviso, quantifications will be included where they would be helpful in assessing the implications and where realistic estimates can be made.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary tell us what exactly were the terms of reference, and is the Taoiseach in a position to say when this White Paper will be published?
The Taoiseach has already stated that it is hoped the White Paper will be published at the end of next month. There is no reason to change that estimate of when it will be published. There are no precise terms of reference in relation to the White Paper. It will attempt to bring up-to-date the economic implications of our application.
It will be more or less a similar exercise to that engaged in by the British Government in the past few weeks?
Not necessarily.
What change will there be?
It would be improper of me to anticipate the White Paper.
I am talking about terms of reference now and not what will be in the White Paper. Can it be assumed that the terms of reference are identical to the terms of reference of the committee which produced this White Paper for the British Government?
As I have already said, there are no precise terms of reference. The White Paper will attempt in so far as it is possible to do so with accuracy to deal with the present economic implications of our application for membership.
Will the White Paper be confined to the economic implications? Will political implications be included?
The legal and constitutional implications were dealt with fully in the White Paper issued in 1967.
Nothing has been dealt with fully.
There has been no material change in the legal or constitutional implications since that date.
The Parliamentary Secretary must be joking.
The White Paper which it is hoped to issue at the end of next month will deal primarily with economic considerations.
While admitting that we must not give away anything about our negotiations—and we would not be giving much away by saying how the cost of living would be affected here—could we take it from the Parliamentary Secretary that the probable effects on the cost of living will be included in the White Paper?
I do not want to anticipate what will in fact be in the White Paper. Obviously that is one of the considerations that must be touched on but it is difficult to give precise figures. They can be misleading. As the British Prime Minister pointed out last week, many of the figures in the British White Paper are speculative and if we attempted to give similar figures they could be equally speculative and misleading.
Surely there need be no speculation as to the constitutional changes necessary since they would be directly related to the terms of the Treaty of Rome. Is the Parliamentary Secretary now telling us definitely that there need not be any constitutional changes on our becoming members of the EEC?
I am not saying that at all.
Will that be defined in the White Paper?
The White Paper will deal with the economic changes because there is no change in the legal and political sphere set out in the White Paper.
Will there be a debate on the White Paper?
I take it there will.
Question No. 7 postponed.
