Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Apr 1994

Vol. 441 No. 5

Written Answers. - Transposition of EU Directives.

Liz O'Donnell

Question:

103 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Justice, in regard to the area of her responsibility, the Directives or other measures requiring transposition under EU law which have been adopted by the EU Council or Commission but which have not yet been transposed by Ireland; the Directives or measures requiring transposition where the date for transposition has passed; the Directives or measures or other matters of EU law in respect of which the European Commission has issued a letter to Ireland under Article 169 (Infringement Proceedings) of the EC Treaty; the Directives, measures or matters in respect of which the European Commission has issued a reasoned opinion to Ireland under Article 169; the matters in respect of which proceedings against Ireland are pending before the Court of Justice of the European Union; the matters in respect of which a judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union against Ireland has been given but has not been implemented; and the judgments in respect of which proceedings have been initiated under Article 171 (Failure to Implement Judgement) of the EEC Treaty.

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn)

The information sought by the Deputy, in so far as it relates to my Department's area of responsibility, is set out hereunder:

Effect has yet to be given to Council Directive 91/308/EEC on prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering adopted on 10 June 1991. Member states were required to implement the Directive before 1 January 1993. Acting under Article 169 of the EEC Treaty, the EC Commission requested the Government on 12 March 1993 to submit its observations on the failure by Ireland to incorporate the provisions of the directive into national law. Details of Ireland's proposals to give effect to the Directive were forwarded to the Commission. One of the purposes of the Criminal Justice (No. 3) Bill, 1993 is to enable effect to be given to the terms of the Directive in Irish law.

EC Directive 93/15/EEC on the harmonisation of provisions relating to the placing on the market and supervision of explosives for civil uses has not yet been transposed in full into Irish law. Two of the six Articles of the Directive, due for transposition by 30 September 1993, were transposed into Irish law in December 1993 as part of the European Communities (Acquisition and Possession of Weapons and Ammunition) Regulations, 1993. My Department has requested the Office of the Attorney General to prepare draft Regulations to implement the remainder of the Directive.