asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement on the consequences, as far as Ireland is concerned, of future agreements that might be made such as the July, 1973, Yugoslavia EEC Trade Agreement which allowed duty-free Eastern European cattle into the EEC while Ireland, as a member country, had to pay a levy of 12.8 per cent on its exports to the European markets.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cattle Exports Levy.
15.
I have consistently made the case at meetings of the Council of Ministers that exports of cattle and beef from Ireland to the other members of the Community should receive preference over imports from third countries. I shall continue to take this line.
It does not seem that we have a great deal of influence in the Community, if we cannot get preference over countries that are not within the Community.
We are only one country in nine.
I know, but our influence must be very poor. I am not blaming anybody for this.
I think we have an enormous amount of influence.
I wonder if the Minister could say whether he or the Department ever questioned the legality of the agreement in question here, the agreement with Yugoslavia in July, 1973, because of its detrimental effect on us?
I certainly did not question it. It is an agreement that was freely entered into and no other country has questioned the legality of it either. I cannot see any illegal act being permitted too easily, but if the Deputy has reason to doubt the legality of it I shall certainly have it looked at.
If the Minister would——
Again it is not beef; it is calves.
I know that, but I should be glad if he would check the legality of the agreement.
Has the Minister any right to exercise a veto on those agreements?
It must be a matter of vital national importance before the veto can be exercised. We have to use commonsense in regard to many of these things.
Would the Minister not agree——
We shall have to pass on. We are getting bogged down.
This is a matter of vital national importance.
May I ask just one question? It is not just this sort of agreement which is contrary to the whole concept of our joining the EEC. We as a member country have produce in abundance and, at the same time are a party to an agreement to bring in similar produce from non-member countries to the exclusion of our own. The whole thing is daft.
But it is not to the exclusion of our own. There is nothing to prevent us——
Substitution.
What is really upsetting the market is third-country beef.
No. 16.
One more supplementary. Did the Minister get a letter——
The Deputy must respect the Chair in this matter. I have called Question No. 16.