asked the Taoiseach the precise proposals he put before the recent European Community summit meeting in Paris; and the outcome of the consideration of these proposals.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Paris Summit.
1.
The meeting was preceded by extensive preparatory work on a wide range of subjects, culminating in reports on various European issues and problems submitted to the meeting by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member states of the Community. These reports contained proposals for consideration at the meeting, reflecting the degree of agreement reached, on a confidential basis, at the Ministers' discussions. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate for me to announce the proposals or suggestions I made at the meeting.
The outcome of the meeting is fully set out in the communiqué which I have laid before the House.
Since we did not have an adequate opportunity of dealing with this matter I have been compelled to raise it by way of question. May I ask the Taoiseach why he did not in the first instance make a full statement to this House on the summit meeting as the British Prime Minister did in the British House of Commons so that this House would have a full opportunity of considering it and debating it?
That is a separate question.
It is a very important question in view of the important issues discussed. Since there is no response to that question, is the Taoiseach satisfied with the outcome of the summit particularly in relation to the proposals for the establishment of a regional fund?
The answer to that is that every country was anxious to get as big a regional fund as possible. The Deputy will appreciate that this matter has been the subject of lengthy discussions at meetings, not merely recently but going back over some years, and this is the first time a firm decision has been taken to establish a regional fund. It is on an experimental basis for three years and, to the extent that the economic circumstances of Europe have changed dramatically for the worst since discussions were originally initiated, and, indeed, since the matter was discussed during the past 12 months, I think it is a satisfactory outcome that a fund has been established and that special recognition was taken in the establishment of the fund of the particular position of this country.
In view of the attitude of the Minister for Foreign Affairs that, so far as Ireland is concerned, the Irish allocation would be totally unacceptable, does the Taoiseach not think he should have followed the example of the Danish Government and the Government of the United Kingdom and made a separate statement of our position in the communiqué to the effect that we did not consider the regional fund as established as adequate to achieve the aims of the Community itself and, in particular, that we did not consider the amount allocated to Ireland from the fund sufficient to meet our needs? As I say, the two governments I mentioned did take the opportunity of expressing their views on matters they did not find acceptable. Do I take it from the fact that our Government expressed no such qualification they found this regional fund proposal entirely acceptable?
I did not say that, but giving one's opinion will not increase the size of the fund. The expression of the Danish and the British opinion did not get either any more. The reality is that the fund was created on the basis of the agreement of the nine member states. Without that agreement there would be no fund. I am more interested in the money that will be in the fund.
In view of our oft stated position, does the Taoiseach not think it was desirable to include a statement to that effect in the communiqué so that our position would be clearly understood, as clearly understood as that of the British and Danish governments in regard to other matters?
Our position was made quite clear and the reality is that in the communiqué there is a special reference to the fact that all the member states, with the exception of Italy, accepted a percentage reduction in their allocations in order to give this country 6,000,000 units of account extra.
I hope the Chair will recognise that this is a very important question.
I have given the Deputy a great deal of latitude.
I had a preface to my question. I had to put this question down in advance of the communiqué to ensure it would be discussed. Does the Taoiseach agree with the views expressed by the British Prime Minister yesterday that nobody at the summit had a realistic expectation that monetary union would be realised before 1980 and does that explain why the Taoiseach and his colleagues did not, in fact, adopt a meaningful regional fund which was always seen as one of the first steps towards the reality of monetary union?
This is the first time the fund has been established. It will be there as and from 1st January next. That is the reality. The comments of anybody else must be taken into account in relation to circumstances. I am dealing with the reality of the fund in relation to this country.
Did the Taoiseach express any view at the summit which would entitle the British Prime Minister to take it as being our Government's view that realisation of economic and monetary union by 1980 was not now possible because the Prime Minister of Britain has been so quoted in the detailed statement he made in Westminster yesterday?
We cannot debate this very large issue here today at Question Time.
We should be able to debate it. It is a matter of great importance.