asked the Minister for Finance the total expenditure incurred to date in connection with the current negotiations for entry into the EEC.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers (Resumed). - Membership of EEC.
24.
Expenditure in respect of attendance by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and officials of the various Government Departments concerned at meetings with the European Communities during the period June, 1970, to end February, 1971, amounted to approximately £15,000.
In addition, we shall be liable for a share of the operating expenses of the negotiations Conference (rents, office furniture and supplies, telecommunications, interpreting, translating, auxiliary staff recruited for the Conference, et cetera). These expenses are being met in the first instance by the Communities. The expenses will in due course be divided among the participants in the Conference in accordance with procedures to be established by common agreement. It is not possible at this stage to give an estimate of our share of this expenditure to date.