asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state the occasions since the end of world war II on which the terms of bilateral trade agreements have been violated by foreign countries; and if he will furnish details on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bilateral Trade Agreements.
9.
The position is that the terms of our bilateral trade agreements have in general been observed by the other Governments concerned. Apart from the difficulties involved in determining what constitutes a breach of such an agreement, on which the parties concerned could have differing opinions, it would take a disproportionate amount of time and effort to examine the position in regard to all the agreements concerned, which number over 100, over a period of 25 years.
This is really a bit thick. There is an important debate going on in this House at the moment on whether we should join the Common Market——
Has the Deputy a question to put?
Yes I have a question to put. I could give examples, and I have not been attached to the Government for years——
We cannot have a speech at Question Time.
Is it true that the Department of External Affairs have no work to do and that they are a hopeless lot? Is it not true that there are no greater duds in the entire Civil Service than the civil servants in the Department of External Affairs——
Deputies
Oh.
Order. I am calling Question No 10.
Is it not true that there have been breaches of bilateral trade agreements——
This is certainly a breach of order. I am calling Question No. 10.
Is the Minister not going to give us a proper answer?
Will the Deputy please allow Questions to continue? I have already called Question No. 10 several times.
I should like to say that the Department of External Affairs are a very hardworking Department——
They are like hell.
Deputies
Oh.
They work much harder for this country than many Members of this House——
Oh yes?
Yes.
What about the time they were going around selling books from door to door——
Would the Minister not agree that there should be more information available in answer to this important question tabled by Deputy O'Donovan?
The Minister has given no information whatever.
I am quite prepared to talk to Deputies about this matter. What one party would regard as a breach of an agreement might not be so regarded by the other party. We have had over 100 bilateral trade agreements in the last 25 years. I agree that bilateral agreements are not the way to conduct trade and this is why we are so keen on the Common Market, in which Community we would have a multilateral agreement.
Would the Minister not agree that when a Member of this House asks for information on infringements of such agreements he should be given the information? I agree with the Minister that a very thin line can be drawn between violation and acceptance but at least we could be given some minimum information on this matter. As Deputy O'Donovan has correctly pointed out there is an important debate proceeding at the moment and the Minister should be in a position to give us more satisfactory information than he has given.
I am sorry if the House is not satisfied with the information I have given.
I do not believe the answer the Minister has given to the House. Is it not true that it would be quite easy for a competent official to go through these agreements and find out the occasions when protests were made?
Could we have that information?
I think the House wishes to know if bilateral agreements are unsatisfactory.
No.
I have said that I regard them as unsatisfactory and that is one of the reasons we want to join the Common Market.
Could the Minister have prepared information regarding the number of occasions on which protests were made or representations were made arising out of what we considered to be breaches of agreements?
If the Deputy puts down a question in connection with this matter I shall try to find out the information. I have already stated that there have been approximately 120 different bilateral agreements concluded in the 25-year period covered in Question No. 9.
Could some young man not be trained so that he could do the necessary research?
We cannot debate this matter all the afternoon. I am calling Question No. 10.
Can the Minister state whether a record is kept regarding the number of occasions bilateral agreements are violated?
To give an answer to the question we are discussing would entail two things: first, a great deal of research and, secondly, a balancing of opinion. I think Deputies get far too much easy information here; they should do their own research.
Would the Minister put at my disposal the same information as is at the disposal of his Department?
I have already told the House that we cannot debate this question all afternoon. Would Deputy O'Donovan please resume his seat? I am calling Question No.10.
The Minister is too preoccupied with internal Fianna Fáil matters at the moment.
The Minister is perhaps too preoccupied with premature statesmanship.
I am not used to such a noisy atmosphere at Fianna Fáil meetings.