asked the Taoiseach the outcome of the review meeting between Ministers of the Irish and British Governments of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreements held in London on 19th February.
3.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement.
2.
asked the Taoiseach if he is in a position to make a statement on the results of the recent Ministerial discussions held in London on the Free Trade Area Agreement.
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andMr. Timmins asked the Taoiseach if he has any statement to make in connection with the Anglo-Irish trade talks held recently in Lancaster House, London.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 2, 3 and 4 together.
Deputies will have seen the text of the communiqué issued after the conclusion of the talks between Irish and British Ministers in London on the 19th and the 20th February.
The Ministers discussed further the operation of the Free Trade Area Agreement in its various aspects including the question of access to the British market for Irish agricultural products and developments affecting trade in industrial products. The Irish Ministers emphasised their concern at the continuance of the British import deposit scheme. The British Ministers again indicated that their Government did not intend to keep the scheme in operation any longer than was required by the balance of payments position.
The supply of Irish butter and cheese to the British market during 1970-71 was also discussed and it was agreed that this question would be the subject of further contacts between the two governments.
The two sides exchanged views on the Irish and British applications for membership of the European Communities in accordance with the arrangements already made for continuing consultations on this subject. It was agreed that further Ministerial meetings would be held as necessary.
Can the Taoiseach say in regard to quotas for cheese and butter whether any indication has been given of the extent of the revised quotas for the current year and, if so, when it will be possible to make a statement?
The British side did give an indication of the amount they are making available to us. We have been examining it and we will be in touch with the British again, but no final decision has been taken on it.
In view of the vital importance of an increase in our cheese and butter quota, is the Taoiseach in any way hopeful that the British Government will agree to an increase? Secondly, did the British Government make any overtures to us concerning meat marketing arrangements?
In regard to the first part of the question, the fact that the negotiations are still open indicates that we are seeking and hopeful of a higher quota in both butter and cheese. As far as meat marketing is concerned, that situation was discussed in general and will continue to be discussed because it will be a matter of further contacts between the two governments and more particularly between the two Ministers for Agriculture.
Is the Taoiseach satisfied that the British are taking the maximum amount of beef we can give them?
Perhaps we can do more on the processed side particularly, but we must recognise that the British Government have obligations to other countries as well. However, in regard to exports of beef and processed meat generally, I think we are doing reasonably well on the British market. We are now at the stage when our meat exports to the British market supply British tables one day out of every week.
Have any representations been made to the British Government that they would bear the cost of the import deposit scheme?
That has already been a subject matter of the discussions. On each occasion the British Government have not agreed to give us compensation as such for the import deposit scheme because they say, quite rightly, that it operates against every other country in the world, including Commonwealth countries and British possessions. However, we are keeping this matter open and whatever advantage we can get from negotiations will be got.
Except that other countries have not a free trade area agreement with Britain.
Will these further negotiations between our ministerial team and the British team take place before the quota for butter and cheese is decided upon and will these negotiations then fade out?
No. We have made our representations known to the British Government and we expect to hear from them what their attitude is. If that is not satisfactory to us we shall be in touch with them again.
Would the Taoiseach make it clear to the British Government that the balance of trade is deteriorating against us all the time, particularly since the implementation of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement?
The balance of trade has been getting worse but not due to the British trade agreement— if at all, to a very little extent. However, I can assure the Deputy that on each occasion we discuss this matter we emphasise the fact that the Irish economy vis-á-vis the British one has not in any way contributed to the British balance of payments problem.