asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the present position with regard to negotiations with the UK Government on the re-introduction of protection in respect of goods imported from the UK accounting for up to 3 per cent of Irish imports from that country in 1969.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement.
26.
Following the completion of the review provided for in Article 1 (5) of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement, the British Government have been requested to enter into consultations at an early date with a view to considering what measures are appropriate to deal with the difficulties which have occurred, or are threatened in certain industries, as a result of the reduction of protection under the agreement.
27.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will give an assessment of the impact to date of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement on imports of goods from the UK to this country.
It is difficult to assess the effect of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement on imports. Goods directly affected by the agreement are those on which protection is being removed, and statistics of imports of those goods are not separately kept. An estimate has been made, however, of the imports of those goods since 1965-66. It shows that imports from the United Kingdom rose in value terms from £95 million in 1965-66 to £171 million in 1969-70, an increase of 80 per cent; in the same period imports of goods of the same kind in value terms from other sources rose from £55 million to £131 million an increase of 138 per cent. In the circumstances it is clear that the operation of the Free Trade Area Agreement is only one of the factors affecting imports from the United Kingdom.
Well, it is one of the factors?
Yes. It can only be one of the factors.
Would the Minister be able to give, later on, a breakdown in volume terms? He has given it in value terms. It is possible that the British goods could be more or less expensive and the value would be useful.
It would be rather difficult in view of the fact that statistics of imports of these goods are not kept separately.
For volume?
Yes.