asked the Minister for Transport and Power why details of EEC proposals on the financial and managerial independence of railways considered by the Council of Ministers on 3rd December, 1971, are not yet available in his Department; when he applied to get details; if details have been furnished to any of the other applicant countries; when he expects to receive details; and if he will publish them when available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Railway Proposals.
15.
The proposals designed to give financial and managerial autonomy to railway companies. which came before the Council of Ministers at its meeting on 3rd December, 1971, were preliminary proposals submitted to the Council by the Commission.
These proposals are at present under examination by working groups of the European Parliament and of the Economic and Social Committee and may be modified in the course of this examination which is not expected to be completed before next June.
Under the procedure for joint consultation agreed between the Community and the applicant states, this country as well as the other applicant countries will be formally consulted when the examination has produced common guidelines as to the solution to be reached by the Council.
Can the Minister state if his Department have received a copy of these proposals?
Yes.
When was it received?
We have received various items of information about it. In fact we are in continuous touch. The latest communication was only on 13th March.
Is it not correct that the Minister told the Dáil a week or two ago that he had not received a copy of these proposals?
I have it now in front of me, dated 13th March. I shall show it to the Deputy if he wishes.
The Minister got it on 13th March. Is it not the case that these proposals were considered by the Council of Minister on 3rd December and yet they did not think fit to send a copy of the proposals to one of the applicant countries until 13th March? Does the Minister consider that his Government is being adequately consulted by the EEC in relation to these proposals so that the consultative decisions of which he talks will be meaningful?
There have been consultations in areas of mutual interest but the final document has just come to hand. In case the Deputy is running away with something, the whole Common Market transport policy is very much in the early stages. When we secure entry to the EEC we shall be in a position to take part in the consultations that will really count in framing whatever common transport policy may emerge.
Would the Minister not agree that it would be very difficult for the Government to have consultations with the EEC on proposals a copy of which they have not even received?
I have it in front of me and I shall be glad to give it to the Deputy.
This brings out the point which has a bearing on a great deal of our EEC negotiations, the unavailability of documentation to persons other than members of the Government. There are, I think, 43 volumes which we are promised will at some time be in the Dáil library but which are not available to us. Could the Minister express a policy intention in regard to EEC matters which are the responsibility of his Department to make the relevant documentation as widely available as possible in the Dáil Library to all Members of this House?
I shall certainly do that.
Is it not a fact that our original application to join the EEC was not acknowledged for six months?
That is not true, Deputy.
It is true. I do not like the Minister making that kind of smart-alec answer.
I just said it was not true.
It is absolutely true. I should not like to say what I think of the Minister for replying in that way. I have too much personal regard for him, but in his official capacity I have very little regard for him.