The Gazette 1975

for the previous month so that it forms a sort of In- dex to the Official Journal, and the Information on the Court of Justice contains summaries of the Decisions of the Court of Justice and sometimes of other Courts in Europe on E.E.C. mat'ers.

Communities which is issued ten times a year, and the other is Information on the Cour; of Justice of the European Communities which issues at somewhat irregular intervals. The Bulletin contains a list of all the items that have been included in the Official Journal

Development of the European Communities: Fourth Report of Oireachtas Committee

The Development of the European Communities 1.1 It is now two years since the enlargement of the European Community. In that period the Community has had to face serious internal and external threats to its functioning arising in particular out of the world economic, monetary and energy crisis. Problems have also been posed by the uncertainty about the position of the U.K. in the Community and by the increased range of divergent interests which enlargement has brought. Ireland has pressed for a collective and co- ordinated response to these problems; unilateral action could prove detrimental to the weaker member States and thus to the Community as a whole. Ireland has therefore sought the adoption and extension of econ- omic, social and regional policies which will maintain and improve the level of economic growth and of em- ployment and contrbute to the distribution of the Com- munity's wealth to those areas most in need. 1.2 The principal aim of Irish policy is the preser- vation of the Community and the strengthening of its unity. In the belief that the Community as a unit can better respond to the present economic crisis than the individual member States the Government has advocat- ed the strengthening and democratisation of the Com- munity and has supported moves towards a democratic- ally controlled European Union. The Government is concerned that policies should operate to the advantage of all the peoples of the Community irrespective of how far they are from the developed centres of economic growth. In particular Ireland has sought to maintain the basic principles and mechanisms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), to promote the Community's, Industrial Policy and the Social Action Programme, to extend the scope of the European Social Fund and to reach agreement with the other member States on a Regional Policy. In some areas, notably Regional Policy, progress was disappointingly slow and the objectives set by the Paris and Copenhagen Summits were not all achieved within the timescales envisaged. However the outcome of the meeting of Heads of Government of the member States on 9-10 December 1974 and in partic- ular the agreement on the establishment of a regional fund have given a new impetus to progress on Com- munity policies.

It has extended the range of Ireland's participation in international economic and political affairs; we par- ticipate on an equal footing with the other member States in the running and development of the Economic Community and within the framework of political co- operation we take part in the co-ordination of the Nine's foreign policies. Membership has also contributed to our economic development; besides the transfer of funds from the Community to Ireland by means of grants, subsidies and loans it has encourag- ed overseas investment in Ireland and has provided new marketing opportunities for our industrial and agricul- tural exports. 1.4 At the invitation of the President of France, Mr. Giscard d'Estaing, the Heads of Government of the member States of the European Communities met in- formally in Paris on 14 September 1974 to discuss the state of European integration and the issues facing the Community. The Heads of Government agreed that the Foreign Ministers should meet to consider the de- sirability of holding a formal meeting of Heads of Government later in the year. The Taoiseach indicated that if such a meeting was to be held it would have to be adequately prepared. 1.6 Ireland indicated that its attitude to the holding of a formal meeting of Heads of Government would be governed by whether or not it could be established be- forehand that there was a basis for firm progress on questions of substance. Ireland particularly emphasised the need for progress on regional policy which is an essential element in any further economic integration of the Community. After the meeting on 2 December 1974 it was clear that sufficient progress had been made, especially on the establishment of the regional fund, to enable the proposed meting to take place; Ireland could therefore agree to the holding of the meeting. Court of Justice of the European Communities 2.16 A Conference of representatives of the Govern- ments of the member States of the Community meet- ing at Brussels on 10 December 1974 appointed the Hon. Mr. Justice Aindrias O Caoimh to replace Judge Cearbhall O Dálaigh as a Judge of the Court of Justice of the European Communities. Judge O Caoimh was 159 Meetings of Heads of Government

1.3 The Government believes that membership of the Community has been and is beneficial for Ireland.