Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 Apr 1992

Vol. 418 No. 8

Written Answers. - White Paper on Internal Market.

John Bruton

Question:

36 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will outline the proportion of the 300 or so individual proposals announced in the White Paper on the establishment of the European Community Internal Market which are now law in Ireland; and if he will outline, in respect of those that are not law, whether this is because they have not yet been adopted at Community levels or because proposals adopted at Community levels have not yet been converted into Irish legislation.

Minister for Industry and Commerce (Mr. O'Malley)

The White Paper Programme for the completion of the Community's Internal Market contains 282 proposals. Measures in the form of directives, regulations, decisions and recommendations have been adopted in respect of 230 of these items, including four partial items. Measures in respect of the remaining 56 items, including the four partial items, are awaiting adoption.

There are currently 198 measures in force in the Community, 191 of which are applicable in Ireland. Of these, 35, or about 18 per cent are awaiting translation into Irish law.

Not all of the 198 measures currently in force require national measures. some 39 measures in force are directly applicable or do not require implementation. A further seven measures do not apply to Ireland.

In some cases, more than one measure has been adopted in respect of an individual White Paper item. Accordingly, there is no direct correlation between the 230 items adopted and the 198 measures currently in force.