asked the Taoiseach if he is now in a position to announce the names of the members of the delegation who will conduct negotiations concerning the application of this country to join the European Economic Community.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Membership of EEC.
1.
The delegation to conduct negotiations concerning this country's application for membership of the European Economic Communities will be led by Dr. P. J. Hillery, Minister for External Affairs. Other Ministers will participate in the negotiations, as occasion may require, for the purpose of dealing with matters affecting their respective Departments.
In addition to Ministers, the delegation will include officials drawn mainly from the Departments of External Affairs, Finance, Agriculture and Fisheries and Industry and Commerce, and the Head of the Mission to the European Communities. The delegation will be supplemented by officials from other Departments as may, from time to time, be necessary.
Is the Taoiseach in a position at this stage to indicate the date of commencement of negotiations? Is it proposed to afford the Dáil time to debate the White Paper before the commencement of negotiations?
The date of commencement of negotiations has been announced as 30th June. It is not expected that negotiations on that date will be very comprehensive; they may be confined to formal statements by the applicant countries. Procedural matters may also be discussed but that is not certain. It was the intention to have a debate on the White Paper and this can be arranged between the Whips. I have no strong views about whether it should be either before or after 30th June. If it is desired to have it before that date I shall try to facilitate the House but, realising that the substantive negotiations will hardly take place before summer, that may not be very urgent.
It might be more satisfactory to have a debate before 30th June.
Does the Taoiseach not consider it important to have this debate prior to negotiations so that the Minister could have an indication from the public representatives here as to what should constitute the broad basis of our negotiations? I appreciate that the actual negotiations are the responsibility of the Government but it would be helpful if Members of the Dáil were to express their views on the application and on the terms of negotiation. Secondly, is the Taoiseach in a position to give me any information regarding the format of the negotiations? Has the Taoiseach any information that the first meeting will be a formal meeting between the four applicant countries and the EEC, followed by a withdrawal from the negotiations of Norway, Denmark and Ireland and that negotiations will not be engaged in so far as these three countries are concerned until the British negotiations are completed?
I accept the Deputy's suggestion that it would be useful to have the views of Members of the House in relation to the broad approach to our negotiations. I should like to repeat what I said in reply to Deputy Cosgrave's supplementary question that I would try to facilitate a debate in advance. So far as the format of the negotiations is concerned, as I have already indicated I expect that the opening of negotiations will be formal, although there may be some procedural matters discussed on that date also. I understand the British have requested a resumption of negotiations in their case during July but, if that request is acceded to, there is no reason to suggest that the British negotiations will be completed before negotiations of the other applicant countries are taken up. The Minister for External Affairs has been given an assurance that so far as possible negotiations will be parallel in order to synchonise the ultimate date of accession of all applicants.
My information is to the effect that the British negotiations will be well under way, if not nearing completion, before negotiations take place between the other applicants and the EEC.
It will be our intention to ensure that our negotiations will be conducted parallel so far as possible and that we will be apprised of any matters that will arise in the course of the British negotiations which might affect us.
Will the Taoiseach say whether we have had any discussions with the other applicant countries, other than Britain, in order to synchronise the negotiations and have them conducted parallel?
We have had contacts with the other Governments to that effect and they are as anxious as we are to have these negotiations conducted parallel.
Can the Taoiseach say what official or what Department will be responsible for co-ordinating the work of negotiations under the Ministers? No doubt the Taoiseach is aware of the announcement quite some time ago of the appointment of Sir Con O'Neill in the British delegation. Can the Taoiseach tell us the position obtaining in this country?
I do not want to name officials at this stage but the broad co-ordination of the presentation of our case will be in the hands of the Department of External Affairs. The Department of Finance will continue to co-ordinate the work at the Dublin end in relation to our application.
Is an inter-departmental committee preparing our negotiating brief and, if so, who is chairman and what Department is responsible?
There is such a committee. As I have indicated, the Department of Finance are handling the matter of co-ordination at this end.
I see.
In view of our involvement with the British economy, would the Taoiseach not insist that our negotiations be carried on simultaneously with those of the British?
We have requested simultaneous negotiations but I should not like the word "simultaneous" to be strictly interpreted. The negotiations with Britain will be conducted from time to time as will our negotiations so that, taking one week or one month with the other, our negotiations will be proceeding also.
I do not want the British to burn our boats.
Will our senior negotiator, therefore, be Deputy Hillery?
The Deputy should understand that EEC matters are conducted mainly at ministerial level as between members of the Council of Ministers. Those Ministers are usually the Ministers of Foreign Affairs or External Affairs as the case may be. However, when particular matters affect other Departments, whether agriculture, industry or transport, these Ministers take the place of the Foreign Ministers at that level. There is also the other level of the permanent representatives who are usually the ambassadors of the country. There is then the lower level of officials.
But the political head is Deputy Hillery?
Yes.
Can the Taoiseach say if the Commission have acceded to the British request to give preference to the British negotiations?
No; the Commission have not that right. The Council of Ministers is the body that would make decisions on matters such as this. However, the suggestion is that there will be one meeting with the British during July but I am not in a position to confirm that this will be the case. We are alive to our interests in this matter and we are pursuing what is in our best interests if such a meeting takes place. However, I believe if such a meeting does take place it will not proceed very far as regards negotiations.
Has the Council of Ministers acceded to that request?
No, I do not think so yet.
Will the Taoiseach state if we have continuous negotiations with Britain regarding our application? Will the Taoiseach not agree that our senior negotiator is the British Government and their representatives as our application hinges entirely on Britain's application?
Britain will not negotiate on our behalf in any respect. Our negotiations will be conducted by us. We are not having any negotiations with the British but naturally we have arranged with them that any matters of common interest to both countries will be open to discussion.
Is the Taoiseach telling the Dáil——
I am calling Question No. 2.
If the outcome of the British general election resulted in a change in Britain's attitude to her application would our attitude also change or would we as a former Taoiseach used to say "Go it alone"?
I have answered the questions put to me as best I can. I cannot answer hypothetical questions.
The chain of command is clear now; Deputy Hillery is next in command.
(Interruptions.)