asked the Minister for Finance if it will be necessary to levy additional taxation in order to finance the EEC regional policy; or if there will be a reduction in the finances budgeted for the common agricultural policy.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Regional Policy.
62.
I would refer the Deputy to Annex 2 to the White Paper entitled "The Accession of Ireland to the European Communities" which describes the arrangements governing Ireland's contribution to the Communities' budget, from which the Communities' regional policy will be financed. While, in accordance with these arrangements, Ireland's maximum share of the Communities' annual budget to 1979 is fixed, the absolute amounts payable will vary with changes in the total amount of the Communities' budget. The tax implications of a particular level of contribution can be examined only in the context of our own overall budgetary position from year to year. Furthermore, since the level of our contribution each year is related to the total of the Communities' budget, any assumptions about the tax implications of a particular element in that budget would be valueless.
With regard to the second part of the Deputy's question, I see no reason to envisage a reduction in Community expenditure on the common agricultural policy.