asked the Minister for Finance if he will initiate discussions between the Revenue Commissioners and the Northern Ireland authorities to examine the feasibility of creating free trade conditions between Donegal and Northern Ireland, whereby customs control between those two areas would be removed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Donegal-Northern Ireland Trade.
4.
The creation of free trade and the related removal of customs control as between part of our territory and Northern Ireland would not be a practical proposition. The initiation, therefore, of discussions on this particular proposal would be unlikely to be productive of useful results.
I would remind the Deputy that the Taoiseach has suggested consideration of trans-Border regional economic development and the matter is under examination by senior officials of North and South. There is already progress in the creation of free trade conditions within the terms of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement and this whole subject will receive a considerable impetus if both Ireland and Britain become members of the European Communities.
When the Minister says that it is not practical, in what way does he mean that it is not practical?
One aspect is that if goods were transferable without any hindrance across the Border into Donegal they could similarly go from there to Leitrim and the rest of the country unless we were to set up a customs border between Donegal and Leitrim.
This is sheer nonsense. There are similar arrangements in the United States of America between the different States and they do not have to set up borders between the States. They have patrols and if there is any abuse of the regulations patrol cars are sent to pick up the offenders. I do not suggest that there should be a border between Donegal and Leitrim but if there is any imagination in the Department it should be possible to arrive at a position in which some arrangement could be made. If the reason given is the only one why the Minister is rejecting this proposal, I feel that he should have another look at the matter.
Has the Minister taken note of the Taoiseach's statement? Has the Minister taken note of the reports on the EEC discussions and of the request of the British negotiators in the current EEC discussions that there should be no departure from the safeguarding of employment in the North of Ireland even in terms of entry of this country into the EEC?
I have noted that application.
Have the Minister's Department and the Department involved in the EEC negotiations been in close contact with the Minister for Foreign Affairs? Can the Minister assure the House that this point has been noted? Has any attitude been conveyed to the British authorities on this request of theirs?
The Deputy may take it that this was a matter which was considered in the context of our EEC negotiations, that the application by the British negotiators has been noted and that our attitude in this matter is being made clear to the parties concerned.
What is our attitude?
That is a separate question.
Could the Minister tell the House about it?
I would prefer not to do so at the moment.
When I asked the Minister a supplementary question on such an arrangement not being practical he gave his reason. Is this the only reason that it is not practical?
I said that it was one of the reasons but the Deputy has not satisfied me in his argument that this is not a problem.
This is not a debate. I am asking the Minister to initiate discussions between his Department and the Department in Belfast to iron out the difficulties. Does the Minister not agree that this would be a step towards free trade between Ireland and Great Britain? It would be a testing ground.
I am afraid I could not agree to the removal of the Border so as to put Donegal in with the Six Counties.
(Interruptions.)
It is stupid remarks like that that cause all the trouble in this country.
If the Deputy would explain to us how it could be done——
(Interruptions.)