Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Feb 1997

Vol. 474 No. 6

Written Answers. - EU Instruments.

Joe Walsh

Question:

129 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform if he will give details of the EU directives, regulations and conventions in respect of which his Department has responsibility and which have not been incorporated into Irish law; and if he will give a timescale for completion of the work in respect of each instrument. [3771/97]

Minister for Equality and Law Reform (Mr. Taylor)

I have been advised that national measures, in my area of responsibility, are necessary to give effect to Council Directive 86/613/EEC which deals with the application of the principle of equal treatment between men and women in self-employed activity. Section 8 of the Equal Status Bill 1997 will give effect to the directive in this regard.

Council Directive 96/34/EEC on the Framework Agreement on Parental Leave was adopted by the Council of Social Affairs Ministers on 3 June 1996. It is proposed to transpose the directive into Irish law within the timeframe provided in the Framework Agreement appended to the directive. This timeframe allows two years from 3 June 1996 for implementation and an additional one year is provided, if necessary, to take account of particular difficulties or implementation by collective agreement. There are no other EU directives or regulations which require to be made part of Irish law.

Appropriate legislative arrangements are in the course of preparation, to enable the following conventions to come into force in Ireland: EC convention abolishing the legalisation of documents in the member states of the European Community — 25 May 1987; First Protocol to 1980 Rome Convention under consideration. Possible constitutional amendment required — 19 December 1988; Convention on the Accession of Spain and Portugal to the 1980 Rome Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations, and to the First and Second Protocols on the Interpretation of that Convention by the European Court of Justice — 18 May, 1992; Convention on the Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden to the 1980 Rome Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations, and to the First and Second Protocols on the Interpretation of that Convention by the European Court of Justice — 29 November, 1996; Convention on the Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden to the Brussels Convention on Jurisdiction and the Enforcement of Judgements in Civil and Commercial Matters, 1968 and the Protocol on the Interpretation of that Convention by the Court of Justice of the EC — 29 November, 1996.