asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if any special consideration is being given by this country's negotiators for EEC membership to the problems that will arise in the small farm areas in the Republic where there is large scale unemployment and emigration and where there is a growing fear that EEC membership will bring about a worsening of this situation rather than an improvement; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Membership of EEC.
8.
I do not accept the Deputy's suggestion that EEC membership will bring about a worsening of the situation of small farmers and I would refer him to the reply given by the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries on 1st July to questions by Deputy Hogan on this subject.
Did the Minister see the Late Late Show on television some months ago when the small farmers, as distinct from big farmers, made it quite clear that they are very concerned in this regard.
I am not answering questions about the Late Late Show.
Those people, who appeared en masse on the show, were representing the small farmers. They were not members of Fianna Fáil or of any other party.
It is apparent that the immediate benefits that will come into effect on the 1st January, 1973 in respect of the agricultural community cannot but have a beneficial influence.
The small farmers do not think so.
They are misled.
9.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether any information under the heading of alternative choices to full membership of the EEC will be given in the proposed White Paper.
The Government intend to place before the Oireachtas and the public in the proposed White Paper the terms of accession and all other considerations which are relevant to our application for membership of the European Communities.
Arising out of the Minister's very exact reply—exact according to the Minister's standards— may I ask him whether he will give the Irish people a real choice in this matter by supplying them with the information which would suggest what would be the debit or credit side of not entering? The Minister has confined himself to saying that they will merely give information relevant to the Government's own application.
It is quite clear to anybody with common sense that the White Paper must inevitably have regard to the implications for Ireland of remaining outside the Community.
Therefore, the answer to the question is "Yes".
Yes, of course it is.
There will be a quantified assessment of the effects of not going in?
"Quantification" is a very large term but the facts relating to our remaining outside and what these facts would mean as far as the Irish community is concerned will be contained in the White Paper.
And quantified.
I do not know the precise nature of the quantification.
The Minister should.
Question No. 10.
Will the Minister agree that we have had enough official prose on the matter of the Government's application and it is time we had the figures?
All aspects will be contained in the White Paper, sufficient for a mature decision to be reached by the Irish Parliament and by the people.
10.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether his Department is aware of trade union reaction to the EEC Commission's proposal that protection should cease for the motor assembly industry by 1980; and what action is being taken to lengthen the period necessary for adaptation beyond 1980.
The position is that the Community has not as yet put proposals to us in regard to the motor car assembly industry. Until proposals are adopted by the Council of Ministers and formally put to us, I do not think that it would be appropriate to comment publicly on their likely content.
When will the Minister be in a position to give more information to the House on this vital matter?
First things first. The Minister has been seeking to have meetings with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions this week on this matter and owing to their involvement in a conference in Limerick this has not been possible but at the earliest possible date such consultation will take place prior to the Minister's own meeting of July 12th.
Does this mean that the Government accept that motor cars will not be assembled in Ireland after 1980?
This is a matter of very detailed and delicate discussion at present and the Minister is in full touch with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on the matter.
I fully appreciate that this is a serious matter. That is not an answer to my question. What I am asking the Minister is whether the Government accept that after 1980 motor cars will no longer be assembled in Ireland.
This is a matter under discussion at the present point of time.
Why is it delicate?
Obviously any negotiations must be delicate in the national interest.
(Interruptions.)