There is an amendment and there is an explanatory memorandum with the amendment. I wonder have Deputies got them? As we are taking this amendment at short notice I want to make sure that Deputies have copies of it.
European Communities (Confirmation of Regulations) Bill, 1973: Committee and Final Stages.
The amendment has been circulated. The Chair might remind the House that section 1 confirms the regulations in the Schedule. We cannot have two discussions on this matter. The Chair suggests that section 1 should be passed without discussion and the debate can take place on the Schedule.
Sections 1 and 2 agreed to.
SCHEDULE.
I move amendment No. 1:
In page 3, after "S.I. No. 67 of 1973 European Communities (Measuring Instruments) Regulations, 1973", to add the following:
S.I. No. 127 of 1973 European Communities (Fishery Limits) Regulations, 1973;
S.I. No. 128 of 1973 European Communities (Marketing Standards for Eggs) Regulations, 1973;
S.I. No. 129 of 1973 European (Fresh Poultry Meat) Regulations, 1973.
As Deputies will recall, regulations made by Government Ministers under the European Communities Act, 1972, have to be confirmed by Act of the Oireachtas within six months of their being made. If not so confirmed, they lapse. I have, therefore, thought it well that the present Confirmatory Bill should cover all such regulations up to as late a date as possible. This, I hope, will have the effect of economising on the time of the Dáil and Seanad by grouping the regulations to be confirmed so as to have Confirmatory Bills brought before each House not more than twice a year, if possible. It is for this reason that I now propose the addition of three further regulations to the Schedule of the Bill.
The Fishery Limits Regulations (S.I. No. 127 of 1973) implement the provisions of Article 100 and 101 of the Treaty of Accession from 1st July, 1973. These Articles of the Treaty authorise Ireland to restrict fishing by fishing vessels of other member states in certain areas of our exclusive fishery limits. Regulations to implement these provisions in Ireland came into operation on 1st January, 1973. However, these contained a technical error in the definition of the coordinate of latitude of Power Head, Cork harbour. They are, therefore, being allowed to lapse on 30th June next and are being replaced by the new regulations from 1st July, 1973. My apologies to County Cork.
The Regulations on Marketing Standards for Eggs (S.I. No. 128 of 1973) provide that the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is the body which will administer the Community's egg marketing regulations. The latter make detailed provisions on all aspects of marketing of eggs.
The present regulations replace from 18th July, 1973, the European Communities (Marketing of Eggs) Regulations, 1973, which were made on 18th January, 1973, but which were found to be deficient in certain respects, mainly because they do not make adequate provision for penalties for contraventions, and are, therefore, also being allowed to lapse and are being replaced.
The Fresh Poultry Meat Regulations (S.I. No. 129 of 1973) implement the Community directive on trade within the Community in fresh poultry meat, which lays down detailed requirements regarding premises, plant, staffing and processing procedures. This directive comes into force on 1st July, 1973, in respect of trade within the Community.
The present regulations provide that the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is the body charged with the implementation of the directive in Ireland.
On the amendment, dealing particularly with fisheries, I think we covered this area in the general debate, but I should just like to make the point that this is, as has been stated in the amendment, necessary in order to avail of the irrigation grant under Articles 100 and 101 of the Treaty of Accession. There was, however, the other side to the coin which the Minister did not, in fact, specifically stress in his reply and that was— it is referred to in the report—that he would also have plans for the restructuring of the inshore fishing fleet. This is referred to in paragraph 7.54 of the report and it is important, I think, that this should be seen as the quid pro quo of our entry as far as our fisheries are concerned. I would hope that the Minister would be able to press on with these proposals so that our inshore fisheries could, in fact, benefit from the restructuring which was aquid pro quo, in our view at least, for our accepting the provisions of the articles in the Treaty of Accession.
I agree entirely with the Deputy, but this is not my particular job. The post curiously enough brings one into many areas in which Ministers in the past have not been accustomed to stray, but it is only in relation to foreign relations that I am concerned. The Parliamentary Secretary is in the House and I do not think either I or any other Deputies have any doubts of his energy and ability to pursue that fully with a view to ensuring that our fleet is restructured and will be well able to cope at the end of the period.
The Minister will understand that, having covered such a wide ground, I forgot this was not within his jurisdiction.
Amendment put and agreed to.
Schedule, as amended, put and agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported with amendment, received for final consideration and passed.