asked the Minister for External Affairs whether Ireland will have observer status at the negotiations between the UK and the EEC, with right to seek consultations on matters that concern this country; or, if not, how it is proposed to protect Irish interests that might otherwise be prejudiced by tentative agreements reached in the course of Anglo-EEC negotiations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Membership of EEC.
10.
We have stressed to each of the Governments of the Six and to the EEC Commission the importance of our being consulted on matters of interest to us arising in the other negotiations, particularly the negotiations with Britain, so that our views may be taken into account before any decisions are reached on such matters. The procedures to be followed in the negotiations have not as yet been settled.
Will the Minister not agree it is vital that we should have such information on the British negotiations as will enable us to know when matters that will affect us have been raised and to intervene before even a tentative solution has been reached that might be disadvantageous to our interests?
The House will know I have already had agreement with the negotiator for Britain that they would consult us in these matters, and we have set up a working group between officials of their Government and ours, and they have had some meetings. I also have agreement in principle with the Governments of the Six on this and I spoke with the president of the Commission. The actual method of informing us of how our interests will arise has not been decided on, but I did indicate that the large area in which the British negotiations may affect our interests should be made known to us and that we should be consulted at that stage. We shall attempt to get a more formal procedure as time goes on.
Will the Minister agree it would be undesirable for us to be depending on a bi-lateral relationship with Britain in this matter when many matters that may arise and in which our interests are concerned would be ones in which we would have support from other EEC countries if those matters were discussed on a multi-lateral basis?
I have the same assurances on consultations from the individual Governments of the Six Community members as I have from the British, so we are not dependent just on bi-lateral agreement.
11.
asked the Minister for External Affairs whether it is intended that the Irish team will remain in Brussels throughout the negotiations with the United Kingdom, Denmark and Norway whether or not negotiations are proceeding simultaneously with Ireland.
Some of the members of the Irish negotiating team will be in Brussels throughout the negotiations.