asked the Taoiseach if he is yet in a position to announce who the Commissioner to Europe will be.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Commissioner to Europe.
2.
The announcement of this appointment will not be made for some time.
Could the Tánaiste say if there is any deadline by which the Government must nominate their commissioner and also the officials they wish to take up posts within the Commission?
The deadline would obviously be the date on which we would join the European Economic Community, January 1st, 1973.
Was it not intended that the commissioner should serve a certain apprenticeship period before he would be thrown into the detailed work?
The Deputy can read the statement in the Treaty about this but the main sections are in article 10 which says that the Commission shall consist of nine members who shall be chosen on the grounds of their general competence and whose independence is beyond doubt. Of course, that number has been increased and is now 14.
Would it be necessary for the Commissioner to be competent in the Irish language?
The next article of the Treaty provides that members of the Commission shall be appointed by common accord of the Governments of the member of states. The Taoiseach and the Government will be considering how to implement those two general regulations, amended in accordance with the growth in the number of states belonging to the EEC and I am not prepared to say anything further in regard to the matter.
Would the Tánaiste not agree that in fact it is generally accepted that the intention is that nominations would be made so that members of the Commission would be in a position to consult together in the closing months of this year on a number of matters, including the appointment of staff, and that therefore the Irish nomination would be necessary by about September and that he is incorrect in suggesting that it does not arise until January?
I understand that on an informal basis it has been proposed that the Commissioners should begin to sit together and discuss matters before the actual date on which we join the EEC.
Could the Tánaiste say whether the nomination must be subject to the approval of this House or is it purely a Government appointment?
This matter will be considered by the Taoiseach and the Government.
The question I asked was: will the nomination be subject to the approval of this House?
All these matters will be considered by the Taoiseach and the Government. There is nothing in the Treaty which specifies this.