asked the Minister for Finance the efforts that are being made at Council level to encourage the United Kingdom and Greece to join the European Monetary System.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers - EMS Membership.
12.
There are continuing discussions in the Council of Ministers on the desirability of strengthening the EMS and on the means by which this might be achieved. Member states, including Ireland, have made clear that they would like to see the EMS exchange rate arrangements developing into a Community-wide system. However, the decision on whether and when to participate in those arrangements is a matter for the governments of the UK and Greece.
Are the UK Government prepared to recognise the need, not just from their point of view but that of stability in Europe and elsewhere, for their £ to be linked into the system? Already they have had the privileged position of being allowed to determine the weighting of the basket of the EMS by virtue of the contribution of the £ to that basket because of Britain's associate membership? Can the Minister say if there is any readiness on the part of the British Government to recognise the anomaly that allows them to remain associate members of a system that is meant to underpin currencies of this kind.
I am not sure that the anomaly is quite as the Deputy has said but I do not think it would be my function to transmit to this House the views of another government.
I hope the Minister will transmit our views to that government as part of the new special relationship.
The Deputy need have no fears about that.