Vol. 258 No. 11
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if any changes in Irish law and practice will be necessitated by directives already adopted by the EEC in regard to the removal of technical barriers to trade; if so, whether such changes will be effected by legislation or statutory order; and when they will be effected.
23.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the attitude he adopted in the negotiations for EEC membership towards the general programme for the removal of technical barriers to trade adopted by the EEC Council in May, if any difficulties were envisaged for Ireland in regard to any of the matters covered; and if so, what representations he made in regard to these.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 23 together.
We have accepted the Community's general programme of May, 1969, for the elimination of technical obstacles to trade. I would refer the Deputy to paragraphs 80 to 94 of the Appendix to the White Paper on the Accession of Ireland to the European Communities for details of the directives adopted to date by the Community under the general programme and the arrangements agreed in the negotiations for the implementation of these directives in this country.
The question of how the changes necessary in Irish legislation in order to implement the Community directives will be effected is at present under consideration.
No doubt the Minister is aware that the decisions and directives of the Commission now run to 41 volumes. Since these volumes are not currently available in the Dáil Library for the perusal of Deputies I wonder could the Minister undertake to have them made available so that we might know the regulations which we are so freely accepting?
I will look into that matter. I would like all possible information to be available to Deputies and to the public generally.
Can we be assured that the House will not be treated in the shabby way in which the British House of Commons were treated whereby only a very short Bill was laid before the House in order to implement the regulations of the EEC? Can the Minister assure us that we will be allowed to go into detail in the House in regard to the changes in our law which will be required?
No. I will have the matter examined. It all depends on the nature of the small print. I will take the matter up with my colleague.
Surely the Minister is aware that the necessary enabling legislation consisted of one sentence in the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, for which Deputy Bruton's party voted.
I will not enter into any kind of internal party politics on this. It is a matter between the Labour Party and the Fine Gael Party.
Order. Question No. 24.
