asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government notified the European Economic Community of Dáil Éireann's approval for the establishment of a Court of Auditors of the Community; and, if so, when.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Court of Auditors.
29.
I take it that the Deputy is referring to the ratification measures to be taken by Ireland in respect of the Treaty Amending Certain Financial Provisions both of the Treaties Establishing the European Communities and of the Treaty Establishing a Single Council and a Single Commission of the European Communities. This new amending treaty provides for the setting up of a Communities' Court of Auditors and was the subject of the European Communities (Amendment) Act, 1977, which, having been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, was signed into law by the President on 29th March, 1977. With the appropriate steps to make the treaty part of the domestic law of the State thus completed, the Government subsequently prepared the necessary instruments to enable Ireland to ratify the treaty. These instruments of ratification were deposited with the Italian Government on 23rd May, 1977. It is for the depository state, in this case Italy, to notify the institutions of the Communities that the instruments of ratification have been deposited by Ireland and no further action is required by this country.
Will the Minister acknowledge that the Court of Auditors cannot come into operation until our nomination is made? In view of the long and undue delay in introducing the legislation here only after requests from the President of the European Parliament, does the Minister not think we are further compromising the operations of the Court of Auditors in so far as it involves financial control in not ensuring notification of ratification earlier than we did? It was done after a two-month delay.
The Deputy misunderstands the position. There is a certain time scale which starts operating from the moment of ratification, the moment when the Court of Auditors was established. A number of other member states were not ready to make nominations to the Court of Auditors and we had a request that we should not deposit the instruments of ratification at an earlier date which would make it impossible for them to meet the deadline. It was in deference to the views of certain other countries that we held it until this point to ensure that all would be ready to make their nominations.
Will the Minister say if we are ready to make our nomination?
We have made the nomination and it has been announced in the papers as the name we are recommending to the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. That was three or four days ago.