Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 13 Nov 1968

Vol. 237 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tariff Reductions Proposal.

8.

asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to France's proposal, which was accepted by the other members of the EEC, for wider trade agreements with other countries for industrial and agricultural products with tariff reductions of 30 per cent over four years; and what immediate action the Government propose to take to benefit from this agreed proposal.

I am aware of the proposals in question. My understanding is that they have not so far been accepted by the Council. The Council at its meeting last week referred the proposals to the Committee of Permanent Representatives for consideration and for report back. The question of action by the Government to benefit from the proposals does not therefore arise at this stage, but developments in relation to them are being followed with the closest attention.

Could the Taoiseach indicate to what stage developments have gone?

The Deputy must be aware that the proposals to which he refers as agreed proposals are far from it. They were referred to the Committee of Permanent Representatives. I am not in the position to assess how long the Committee will be studying them or when they will report back. That is a matter I cannot anticipate.

Can we have an assurance from the Taoiseach that the closest attention will be given to these trade agreements?

The Deputy may be fully assured there is nothing that will happen which we will not pay the closest attention to and be fully alert to.

Barr
Roinn