asked the Taoiseach if he is aware that the various safeguards required by the British Government prior to joining the EEC have recently been listed by Mr. George Brown, Minister for Economic Affairs; and that these include safeguards for Commonwealth trade, for Britain's EFTA partners, safeguards for British agriculture, freedom to pursue their own foreign policy, and the right to plan their own economy; whether this country has demanded any similar safeguards, particularly in regard to foreign policy and economic planning in making application for membership of EEC; and, if so, what safeguards this country has sought.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Membership of EEC
1.
I have seen reports of recent speeches by the British Secretary of State for Economic Affairs in which he spoke of the problems arising for Britain for which solutions would have to be sought in any resumed negotiations for British membership of the European Economic Community.
As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the Deputy to my statement of 18th January, 1962, to Ministers of the Governments of the member States of the European Economic Community, the text of which is contained in Appendix I to the White Paper on the European Economic Community laid before each House of the Oireachtas on 28th June, 1962.
It is not our understanding of the Treaty of Rome that any limitations are resolved in respect of foreign policy other than commercial policy, or economic planning except in so far as this may be related to the implementation of the Treaty.
Do I take it that no formal conditions have been laid down by the Taoiseach or the Government in respect of entry into the EEC?
I should not like to paraphrase the statement I made to the Council of Ministers in 1962 which set out the matters about which we would wish to negotiate when the question of our membership was being dealt with.
Far be it from me to compare this Government with the British Government but might I point out that they have laid down specific conditions with their application for membership?
Their situation is different from ours. Having regard to the activities of some of the Member States of the EEC at the present time, it does not seem to me that there could be any suggestion that a limitation of freedom of action in respect of foreign policy is imposed by membership and the British Secretary of State for Economic Affairs did not suggest there was any problem in respect of limitation of economic planning.
The Taoiseach said the British Government looked for an inclusion of safeguards for agricultural policy. Does the Taoiseach think it necessary that we should have some similar condition for the safeguarding of Irish industry, for example?
By and large, and without being held to this in any detail, the agricultural policy of the EEC would be acceptable to us as it stands.
May I ask the Taoiseach if the terms of his considered statement to Mr. Sulzberger, the diplomatic correspondent of the New York Times, in regard to Ireland's entry into the EEC still stand?
I do not recollect that statement.
The Taoiseach does not recollect that statement? I shall send him a copy of it.