With your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I propose to answer Questions Nos. 1 to 5 together.
Negotiations for a wider Free Trade Area are not at present in progress.
I am aware of the terms of Recommendation 210 of the Council of Europe. The Recommendation is, of course, addressed to all members of the Council of Europe, and it would be premature for the Government to endeavour to define now their attitude in relation to it.
We have already made it clear that we would be prepared to consider participation in a multilateral trading agreement among all the member-countries of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, subject to the inclusion in such an agreement of provisions in regard to this country which would take our special circumstances adequately into account. The Government do not feel called upon to take any steps to promote the early resumption of negotiations in this regard.
The members of the proposed European Free Trade Association are engaged in discussions in Stockholm with the aim of completing, by the 31st instant, the drafting of the Convention to be adopted by member Governments. A preliminary examination has been made of the likely effects of the establishment of the Association on the Irish economy. It is not proposed to publish the conclusions arrived at as a result of this examination, which are, necessarily, of a provisional and tentative character.