With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I should like to take Questions Nos. 23 and 24 together.
Articles 108 and 109 of the Treaty of Rome provide for the action to be taken in the Community context to meet a crisis in the balance of payments of a member state. Article 108 allows for Community action in meeting a crisis and Article 109 allows individual member states to take immediate precautionary measures in advance of a concerted approach. In view of the fact that provision is thus made for dealing with such problems in the Community framework, it was not necessary to make representations bilaterally to the Italian Government on their recently announced measures to deal with their balance of payments difficulties. The measures were considered at meetings of the Foreign Affairs and Agricultural Councils of the Community on 7th May. At these meetings Irish Ministers pressed for a concerted approach by all the member states to solve the balance of payments problems facing Italy. In the result, the Commission became seized of the matter under Article 108, authorised Italy to continue the measures for a limited period and will report back to the Council at an early date.
25.