asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism the steps he intends to take to ensure that Irish manufacturers are not discriminated against in countries whose manufacturers have open access to the Irish market.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Discrimination against Irish Manufacturers.
4.
My Department and Córas Tráchtála are continually watching the external trading environment and offer advice and assistance to exporters experiencing difficulties in any market.
Through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade for 90 per cent of our trade and through joint commissions with state trading countries which are not members of GATT, we seek to ensure that there is no discrimination against Irish exporters.
My concern at the need for the removal of technical barriers to trade within the EC led me to have two Internal Market Councils included in the EC programme during the Irish Presidency.
Is the Minister aware that an appreciable degree of harassment is being accorded to the import of Irish goods into some of the EC countries, notably France and to a lesser extent Italy? Has the Minister had any list of complaints to his Department or to the Minister for Communications and, if so, what is he doing about it?
I am not quite sure what category of goods the Deputy is referring to. The Deputy may not be aware that until now telecommunications equipment has not been subject to the same rules as far as discriminatory purchasing is concerned as were other forms of equipment. In other words, it was possible for members of the EC to specify that they could buy only material purchased or processed within their own countries for their telecommunications network. I am glad to say, however, that at the meeting of the Market Council of the EC which I chaired last week this policy is now changed.
Is the Minister aware that at the port of entry, notably in France and to a lesser extent in Italy, drivers of trucks bearing Irish goods into Europe are harassed and interfered with and presented with technical obstructions and difficulties in the import of these goods? Has the Minister any information about that and, if he has, could he say what steps are being taken in the matter?
I have not heard of specific complaints of the type mentioned by the Deputy. I am aware, of course, that it is always possible, operating within the strict letter of the law, for people to make trade difficult and there is a limit to what one can do by means of law to stop that and seek political commitment from the Governments concerned that this will not continue to occur. I would appreciate if the Deputy would draw to my attention any instances he has in mind. However, the myriad of paper that must be filled up by people exporting within the EC is in itself something of a bureaucratic barrier to trade, and I am glad to say that at a meeting of the Market Council of the EC which I chaired two weeks ago agreement was reached to substitute for the numerous documents that now have to be filled one single document which will have to be filled in respect of exporting goods. This is a major step forward which will facilitate intra-EC trade and something which we in our Irish Presidency of the EC can be somewhat pleased about.
We will believe it when we see it.
Good.
Will the Minister ensure that there is no question that the Chief Whip of the Labour Party will be putting a careless and irresponsible question?
That is not a question.
It is a question. Will he ensure that Deputy Taylor will not be putting down a careless and irresponsible question in this House and bringing about a situation which would be detrimental——
I am disallowing that.
——to our export trade?
If I were to allow that question——
You can hardly allow snide remarks of that nature.
There is nothing either irresponsible or careless about Deputy Taylor's question.
It is not that question, it is questions which he asked last week.
Question No. 5 is postponed. Ceist 6.