Vol. 400 No. 3
5 Mr. Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if, in the context of the Irish Presidency, he will call on the European Community to agree a minimum beef quota of 12,000 tonnes of Namibian imports; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
52 Mr. Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food, in the context of the Irish Presidency of the EC, if he will outline the steps he is taking to ensure Namibia is given levy and duty free access to European Community markets for a given tonnage of sheepmeat imports; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 52 together.
Following its independence last April Namibia is in the process of acceding to the ACP-EEC Convention of Lomé. This convention provides for co-operation and assistance between the Community and the less developed countries known as the African, Caribbean and Pacific States. The Fourth Lomé Convention which was signed last December provides, inter alia, for the import to the Community of an annual global quota of 39,100 tonnes of APC beef. It also allows Namibia to include beef trade in its accession negotiations which are due to commence shortly. In the circumstances I cannot anticipate the outcome of these negotiations.
As regards the question of making provision for imports of ACP sheepmeat to the Community, I should point out that for the first time the Fourth Lomé Convention has provided for such, albeit on a small scale. This is a very considerable concession by the Community at a time when its own production, together with existing third country imports, is forecast to exceed 100 per cent self-sufficiency by 1992.
I can assure the Deputy that we recognise that export earnings in agriculture are a significant factor in the economics of ACP countries and that we are committed to helping these countries to strengthen their economies by the development of their indigenous industries.
Would the Minister accept that the 12,000 tonnes mentioned in the question is small change or petty cash in comparison with total beef imports, given that our imports from Britain alone amount to 27,000 tonnes? Given that approximately 500 jobs are calculated to be created from the export of the 12,000 tonnes, would the Minister agree to recommend during the Irish Presidency that this be accepted? It is a very real form of aid.
We recognise the importance to Namibia of their beef industry. For that reason we have been balanced and positive in our approach during the Presidency to the new concession.The Deputy will also recognise that there is no other country in the world where the beef industry is of such vital importance to the economy and to employment generally as it is in Ireland. I am asked further questions today, in relation to our employment targets in these industries, by some of the Deputy's colleagues. I want to be sure we can meet those targets. To say the least of it, I think we have the balance fair and right. This involves a balance between our national and international commitments and we are getting it just about right.
The Minister is meeting the case but, given the racial and economic discrimination and the exploitation of the people of that country, are we not seeing a good case now for Ireland, being a beef country itself, to be somewhat more generous than he is indicating and should Ireland not lead the charge on this? We are talking about a very small amount in the overall picture.
I am familiar with this because I renegotiated the second Lomé Convention and personally spearheaded the first breakthrought for beef from these countries, Swaziland and others, despite the fact that there were obvious difficulties.That will continue to be our approach, but the vital interests of our own people in terms of employment and of our producers in terms of prices, whether they are sheep producers of beef producers, must be balanced. If we want to help we must ensure we are strong enough to help. The Deputy would not want me to undermine either our own producers' industry or our economy because then we would not be a help to anybody.
This must be a very brief and final question, Deputy Stagg.
Surely the Minister is not suggesting that the import of 12,000 tonnes of beef to the EC as a total picture would in any way undermine the Irish beef industry?
No, but the Deputy will also be aware that Namibia is one country. At the last count when I was involved there were 52 members of the ACP. There are probably many more now and once a procedure or precedent is created then, understandably, other countries would, and do, claim they want the same, so we are not talking about just those amounts.
