asked the Taoiseach (a) if any review of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement at Ministerial level with Britain is planned; if so, when and under what terms; and (b) if any approach has been made by Britain to initiate a review of the Agreement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement.
1.
There is provision in Article XXIII of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement for meetings between representatives of the two countries once a year, and at any time at the request of either, to supervise the application of the Agreement, to keep its operation under review and to consider whether further action should be taken to promote its objectives. No special review at Ministerial level has been proposed by either party.
Does the Taoiseach not think that after two years operation there might at least be a review of it?
Not necessarily. There are constant contacts as to the operation of certain aspects of the Agreement. As I said, there is a built-in provision in Article XXIII for annual reviews which take place usually in the autumn. There have been certain Ministerial contacts on certain aspects of the Agreement, for example, in connection with agriculture, but there is not any indication of a necessity for an overall Ministerial review.
We take it for granted that there have been these contacts. Could the Taoiseach not consider issuing a White Paper or some sort of report on the operation of the Agreement in the past two years?
The best reports are in the trade statistics which indicate that our exports to Britain are increasing all the time and our import excess has been reduced.
They are to be matched with figures of rising unemployment.