Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 Dec 1996

Vol. 472 No. 6

Written Answers. - Effect of Industrial Actions on Trade Routes.

Noel Davern

Ceist:

35 Mr. Davern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the efforts, if any, he is making to ensure that any national industrial actions in an EU country do not affect international trade when the particular country is a designated international trade route. [23917/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

The Deputy will appreciate that the Irish Government is not in a position to intervene directly to ensure that national industrial disputes in another EU country do not affect international trade. However, every effort possible is made at a political and diplomatic level to assist Irish traders and transporters affected by such disputes and to minimise the extent of the disruptions suffered.

For example, in the case of the recent French dispute, which I presume the Deputy had in mind when asking this question, the Irish Embassy in Paris made strong representations on behalf of Irish hauliers at a very early stage in the blockades throughout France. These interventions drew attention to the particular difficulties being experienced by Irish hauliers as a result of the blockades and asked that every assistance be given to them in order that they could proceed on their journeys. The Department of Transport, Energy and Communications is keeping in close contact with the Irish Road Haulage Association on the issue of compensation and the Irish Embassy in Paris is in communication with the French Transport Ministry in order to ensure that this issue is progressed as quickly as possible.

The Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications responded in detail to the issues surrounding this dispute on 5 December 1996 and outlined the discussions held at EU level on this matter. In summary, these included a request to France to intervene on the matter. This was made at the Internal Market Council held on 26 November, where Ireland, along with a number of other member states expressed concern about the adverse effects of the strike upon the functioning of the internal market. The matter was also raised by the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications on 27 November at a meeting with Commissioner Kinnock and they agreed that intervention at that stage was not necessary since the French authorities had already made substantial progress towards finding a solution.

On the question of routes which are designated as international trade routes, if the Deputy is referring to international transport agreements, he might address himself to the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, who has responsibility for such matters.