asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when it is intended to introduce the Treaty of Accession to the European Communities for ratification by Dáil Éireann.
8.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Membership of EEC.
7.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when it is intended to introduce the amending legislation consequent upon Irish membership of the European Communities.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.
Preparation for the introduction of a motion for the approval of the terms of the Accession Treaty and of a Bill to make provision with respect to membership of the Communities are not sufficiently far advanced to give a definite date for their introduction. However, it is the intention to introduce these measures as soon as possible.
In view of the fact that this is the month of May and we have seven months left before this country goes into the EEC, surely at this stage we should be given an indication as to when the amending legislation will be introduced and when Dáil Éireann will have an opportunity of discussing the Treaty of Accession?
First things first. We have to wait for 21 days from polling day before the President signs the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill in case there are any petitions or anything of that kind arising out of the referendum. Post that, we will proceed straight away.
We got properly messed up in recent years because of various happenings and the ordinary business of the House, that is, dealing with Estimates and necessary legislation, has been more or less pushed into the background. Could we get any idea as to the extent of the legislation necessary?The Minister is aware that the provisions of the Referendum Bill were very vague. It certainly did not detail any of the constitutional amendments which may be necessary. Surely at this stage, when the result of the Referendum was that the people said that we should go into Europe, we should have a pretty clear idea of what legislation will be involved.
To be specific there will be a motion of approval by the Dáil of the terms of the Accession Treaty and that, we hope, will be taken together with a Bill to provide for our accession to the Treaties.
Before the summer recess?
Yes.
We do not want to be in a position in which the legislation will be introduced in the Dáil in October or November and there will not be adequate time to have it discussed before 1st January, 1973.
The Deputy and the House can be assured that it will be introduced and debated fully before the recess.
Can the Minister say if there will be any other legislation relating to the implementation of directives and regulations of the Community which have been agreed since we signed the Treaty of Accession?
That is what I am talking about. Technically it will take two forms: A motion and a Bill. It is hoped that they will be taken together before the recess.
Can the Minister tell me if the terms of the Bill will be variable to any extent by means of amendment by the House?
The Bill will be concerned with the regulations to actually implement the Treaty of Accession; to transpose the regulations and the directives to which we have acceded into Irish legislation.
Would the Minister not agree that there are directives and regulations which have been passed by the Community since the Treaty of Accession was signed? I want to know what treatment they will get and what form of legislation will be introduced to implement them as distinct from those which were agreed before the signing of the Treaty of Accession.
What we are concerned about is the implementation in Irish legislation of the directives and regulations under the Treaty of Accession which we have signed and which has been approved by the people and which we will approve of by way of motion here. Such directives and regulations arising out of our signing of the Treaty of Accession, approved by the people, will be incorporated in legislative form for approval by the House.
How big will the Bill be?
We have our people working on this at the moment and it will be brought before the House for a full debate between now and the recess.
There will be a recess, I presume?
If Parliamentary approval is of the same weight as public approval there should not be that much debate about it.
That does not follow.
Will Parliamentary approval involve as much expenditure as public approval did?
As long as they follow the people, Parliament cannot go too far wrong.