Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Jun 1993

Vol. 433 No. 2

Written Answers. - European Economic Area Agreement.

John Bruton

Ceist:

36 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the arrangements, if any, he is making to enable Dáil Éireann to ratify a revised European Economic Area Agreement, in light of the fact that Switzerland is not taking part in this Agreement and a revised EC Treaty within Visegrad states in view of the fact that the Czech and Slovak republics have now separated into sovereign states.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

In my reply to the Deputy on 8 April, I outlined the procedures necessary to enable Ireland to ratify the European Economic Area Agreement. These include approval by the Dáil of the adjusting Protocol and amendment of the European Communities Act, 1972, to allow implementation in Ireland of the provisions of the EEA. As the Deputy is aware, the Dáil yesterday approved the Protocol adjusting the EEA Agreement. The European Communities (Amendment) Bill, 1993, has been published and all remaining stages are due to be taken in the Dáil next week.

With regard to the new European Agreements with the Czech Republic and Slovakia — to replace the European Agreement previously concluded with the former Czechoslovakia — I am pleased to report that the negotiations on these agreements have now been satisfactorily concluded. The agreements are expected to be signed during the month of July and will then be submitted for ratification by all the parties. When texts are available the agreements will be laid before Dáil Éireann for approval.