asked the Taoiseach what further developments, if any, have resulted from his initial talks with the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Talks with Northern Ireland Premier.
1.
As the House is aware, since my talks with Captain O'Neill, a number of meetings at ministerial level have taken place. Discussions have also been held at the level of officials. These meetings and discussions, which covered a wide range of subjects offering possibilities of co-operation and consultation, have already produced concrete results.
A Joint Committee under the chairmanship of Sir Josiah Eccles has been set up to investigate the scope for agreement in cross-border co-operation between the electricity supply systems, to advise on the economic and technical problems involved and to estimate broadly the savings in costs which might be achieved. The Committee has already held its first meeting and it is hoped that the investigation will be completed within twelve months.
Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board have been invited by the Minister for Transport and Power and the Minister of Commerce to appoint a joint committee to consult on any improvements that may be desirable and practical to facilitate and encourage cross-border tourist traffic in both directions, the improvement of tourist statistics and on promotional efforts. The Joint Committee would also make recommendations to the two Ministers on further measures of co-operation. The first meeting of the joint committee took place yesterday.
Improvements have also been made in the arrangements for cross-border traffic, including the provision of four new customs posts, which it is hoped will be in operation for the coming tourist season, and the abolition of the requirement of a triptyque on entering Northern Ireland.
The possibilities of co-operation in trade, industrial research and in the training and retraining of workers were discussed at the meeting between the Minister for Industry and Commerce and the Minister of Commerce. It was arranged that detailed discussions would take place at official level and such meetings have since taken place on industrial research and on training and retraining of workers.
The Minister for Agriculture has had informal meetings with the Miniister of Agriculture of Northern Ireland and the scope for the extension of the wide contacts which already exist is being examined.
At the meeting between the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Lands and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, a number of matters were discussed, including the Foyle fisheries, the development of inland fisheries, marketing of fish, processing factories and co-operation in fishery research. It was agreed that meetings at the level of officials would be arranged to look further into the matters raised in these discussions.
There was a preliminary review of subjects of common interest at the meeting between the Minister for Local Government and the Minister of Development. It was agreed to hold further discussions between officials leading to an exchange of information which would facilitate co-ordination on development in the interests of regional planning. Co-operation in the investigation of traffic, transport and communications systems is also visualised. Other matters considered were inter-communication methods for assisting tourist traffic, the financing and integration of arterial roads on each side of the border and construction standards and new methods of building.
There have been discussions between the Commissioner, Garda Síochána, and the Inspector General of the RUC, as well as between senior officers of the two police forces, on the detection and prevention of crime to which the Extradition Bill now before the Dáil applies.
Was the abolition of the Border discussed?
Can the Taoiseach foresee a decrease in the number of customs posts and their eventual abolition rather than an increase of four?
Yes, but at the moment I think we must concentrate our efforts on improving facilities for cross-Border traffic.
But does the Taoiseach think that would be a desirable objective in any case?
Of course.
Would the Taoiseach consider making cross-Border traffic more easy?
The abolition of triptyques goes some way in that direction.
Will it mean in fact that a person leaving the metropolis can cross the Border at any hour of the night?
That is another question. I do not think we have got on to the examination of that yet. Subject to compliance with the necessary regulations, I think that is feasible at present.
So far as the Six Counties Customs are concerned, you can cross at any hour of the day or night. It is our own customs officers who prevent you at night.
The matter does not require co-operation; it merely requires action by the Minister for Finance.