Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 1980 > Committee on the Secondary Legislation of the European Communities > Report No. 76 - Community Aid for Infrastructural Development in Ireland

IMEACHTAÍ AN CHOMHCHOISTE

PROCEEDINGS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE

Dé Céadaoin, 11 Meitheamh, 1980

Wednesday, 11th June, 1980

1. The Joint Committee met at 4 p.m.

2. Members Present.

The following Members were present:

Senator FitzGerald (in the Chair), Deputies Filgate, Griffin, Kenny, Noonan and Smith; Senators Molony, Mulcahy and Robinson.

3. Draft Report on Community Aid for Infrastructural Development in Ireland.

The Joint Committee resumed consideration of the Draft Report.

Draft Report, by leave, withdrawn.

The Joint Committee took into consideration a revised Draft Report brought forward by Senator Mulcahy.

(i) Paragraphs 1 to 11, inclusive, agreed to.

(ii) Paragraph 12.

Amendment proposed (Senator FitzGerald):

“In page 6, line 9, to insert ‘hopefully’ after ‘and’.”

Amendment agreed to.

Paragraph as amended, agreed to.

(iii) Paragraphs 13 to 34, inclusive, agreed to.

(iv) Paragraph 35.

Amendment proposed (Senator Robinson):

“To add to the end of the paragraph the following:—

‘The Committee also believes that consideration should be given to seeking Community aid for the development of rail links between centres of population in areas such as the West of Ireland and the integration of railways into the overall development of transport infrastructure’.”

Amendment agreed to.

Paragraph, as amended. agreed to.

(v) Paragraphs 36 to 38, inclusive, agreed to.

(vi) Paragraph 39.

Paragraph read as follows:

The Joint Committee believes that the road development envisaged by the plan is no more than what is essential for Ireland’s economic development. In no sense can the plan be described as extravagant. Even when it is implemented Ireland will be the only one of the Member States without a motorway. In the Joint Committee’s opinion a strong case can be made for special assistance from the Community towards speeding up the implementation of the plan. Apart from aiding the economic development of this country and thereby reducing the gap between Ireland and the more developed regions of Europe such assistance would have the direct effect of stimulating intra-Community trade. The Regulation proposed by the Commission in 1976 might, if adopted, prove a vehicle for such assistance.

Amendment proposed (Senator Robinson):

“To delete the third sentence in paragraph 39.”

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Amendment proposed (Senator FitzGerald):

“In lines four to six to delete ‘extravagant. Even when it is implemented Ireland will be the only one of the Member States without’ and substitute ‘extravagant, and even if fully implemented will not include’.”

Amendment agreed to.

Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.

(vii) Paragraph 40 agreed to.

(viii) Paragraph 41.

Paragraph read as follows:

One of the fundamental objectives of the EEC is to promote economic convergence by removing regional imbalances. When Ireland joined the Community the other Member States recognised that it was in their common interest that the Irish Government should attain the objectives of its “policy of industrialisation and economic development designed to align the standards of living in Ireland with those of the other European nations and to eliminate underemployment while progressively evening out regional differences in levels of development.” If these objectives are to be attained the Joint Committee believes that substantial and sustained investment in infrastructure such as roads, communications, sanitary services, ports and harbours is of paramount importance. While the primary responsibility for ensuring such investment rests on the Irish Government the Committee believes, in view of commitments recorded in Protocol 30 to the Treaty of Accession, that Ireland is entitled to look for significant aid from the EEC particularly in those areas of development which are clearly in line with the expressed policy of the Community. While the Committee considers that the administration of the Regional Fund can be improved it does not believe that this Fund can play a significant role unless the grant aid provided by the Fund is considerably increased. In the area of transport structure where substantial improvement is needed in Ireland the committee supports the Commission’s view that the aims of the common transport policy call for direct Community involvement and it urges that the proposed Regulation submitted by the Commission be energetically supported. Finally the Committee wishes to acknowledge the significant assistance received by Ireland by way of Community loans particularly since the EMS interest free subsidy became available. It hopes that it will be possible to avail of these sources of finance to an increasing extent in the future.

Amendment proposed (Senator Robinson):

“In page 23, line 2 after ‘roads,’ to insert ‘railways’.”

Amendment agreed to.

Amendment proposed (Senator FitzGerald):

“To delete the last sentence of the paragraph.”

Amendment agreed to.

Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.

(ix) New Paragraph.

Amendment proposed (Senator Mulcahy):

“Before paragraph 42 to insert a new paragraph as follows:—

‘In view of the importance of infrastructural development in Ireland the Joint Committee requests that a debate on this Report take place in each House in accordance with the Orders of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann of 17th October, 1979 and 6th February, 1980, respectively’.”

Amendment agreed to.

(x) Paragraph 42 agreed to.

Draft Report, as amended. agreed to.

Ordered: To report accordingly.

4. Adjournment.

The Joint Committee adjourned at 6 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 25th June, 1980.