The legislation before the House is merely a constitutional requirement to enable Spain and Portugal to join the European Community. The main negotiations to enable these countries to join the enlarged Community have already taken place at a much higher level. I congratulate our Government for the part which they have played in facilitating the entry of these countries into the Community. There were very apparent and almost insurmountable difficulties, particularly during the year of Ireland's Presidency of the EC and great work was done. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Barry, should be congratulated and also the Minister of State, Deputy O'Keeffe, on the manner in which they committed themselves, on the one hand, to the interests of the Community and on the other hand to the protection of Irish interests. They are also to be commended on ensuring that the friendships which exist between ourselves and Spain are in no way damaged in this formal move.
The Treaty of Accession was signed on 12 June. We are merely making it possible, by reforming our legislation, to facilitate what is taking place. Since the original six member states formed the Community back in 1957, the EC have undergone two periods of enlargement and round three is now in train. It is a natural, logical development of the Common Market area that such a large land mass as the Iberian peninsula consisting of Spain and Portugal should seek to join. Geographically, one can find no objection to European growth in this way and I therefore welcome the participation of the free democratic countries of Spain and Portugal into the Community. The historical links between the Iberian people and this country would serve to consolidate the friendships which already exist and will continue to grow in the years ahead. Our Government at all stages of the negotiations have facilitated the entry of Spain and Portugal.
I would refer to Ireland's position vis-à-vis the entry of these countries into the Community and very briefly to the developments which have taken place in this country since we became part of the Common Market in 1972. At the time there was a great conflict of interests between various political parties in this State whether Ireland should or should not become part of the Community. We overcame that conflict by referendum and have concentrated as a full member over the last 13 years and have participated in many worthwhile developments during that period. The main plank which influenced the majority of our people, particularly the urban and farming communities, were the structures in the Community, in particular the Common Agricultural Policy. While our entry has brought a measure of prosperity to some of our inhabitants and has brought about improvement to certain sections, nevertheless when one examines our involvement we cannot be over-optimistic about what transpired during that period.
In 1972 we had about 60,000 unemployed on the live register and in 1985 there are 230,000. That fact demands very serious attention in the years ahead. If that trend were to continue the Community would fail this country very seriously. The advent of Spain and Portugal will add a further 30 million people, making the total population of the Community somewhere in the region of 300 million. I cannot give the figure of the employable people in that number but there would be perhaps 12 million people unemployed in the Community. The structures and the bureaucracy which have developed over the years have not assisted in the better development of social policy to cater for that situation.
Unemployment here is rising faster than in any other country of the EC. Employment in the indigenous industries has almost collapsed since we joined. That is a mere fact of life. How the employment situation will be affected by the addition of another great land mass and 30 million people is a matter for conjecture and something about which we should be very concerned over the years ahead. There are advantages which would accrue, perhaps, in the agricultural sense from the participation of Spain and Portugal. We do not have the same level of conflict between the agricultural products of Spain and Portugal and our own as would be the case with our closer northern European neighbours.
The gap between the living standards of member states has widened considerable since 1972 and has widened further between regions in the one country and little effort or worthwhile achievement can be seen in that area. Unless the original principles on which the Common Market was founded are to be adhered to and there is the political will and determination to ensure that they are properly implemented, the Common Market will have failed to bring about a diminution of the disparities that exist between the poorer sections of the Community. I am not at all happy about that situation.
Spain and Portugal indicated their intention to seek admission to the Community as far back as 1978-1979. Obviously their reasons for seeking entry were economic. The Common Market is a conglomeration of self interested nations, each protecting its own vital national interests. In the super-levy conflict we were the country that would have been downtrodden were it not for the fight put up by our negotiators, our Ministers and our Government and the support of the Opposition. We would not have achieved anything near what we achieved were it not for our defence of our position. Things will be even harder in the years ahead.
Community policy is of great concern. In an article published in The Irish Times on November 4 1985 relating to food mountains when thousands are starving, a speech made by Bob Geldof before 2,000 people in Canterbury Cathedral was referred to. Mr. Bob Geldof had said that he did not want part of a country or world with a mentality that stored food while people are dying. That is a sentiment with which we would all agree.