asked the Taoiseach if he is aware of the opposition of the Danish Government to any concessions for Ireland on the super-levy; and if he will meet the Danish Prime Minister before the Athens meeting to present our case to him and seek his help in protecting our vital national interest.

2.

asked the Taoiseach if he is aware of the opposition of the French Government to any concessions for Ireland on the super-levy; and if he will meet the French President before the Athens meeting to present our case to him and seek his help in protecting our vital national interest.

3.

asked the Taoiseach if he is aware of the opposition of the Italian Government to any concessions for Ireland on the super-levy; and if he will meet the Italian Prime Minister before the Athens meeting to present our case to him and seek his help in protecting our vital national interest.

4.

asked the Taoiseach if he is aware of the opposition of the Dutch Government to any concessions for Ireland on the super-levy; and if he will meet the Dutch Prime Minister before the Athens meeting to present our case to him and seek his help in protecting our vital national interest.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4 inclusive together.

As regards the first part of each question, I have already stated in response to similar type questions in the House recently that it would not be appropriate for me to comment publicly on the details of confidential discussions at the present stage of intensive and critical negotiations in the Community.

As the Deputy is probably aware at this stage, I had separate discussions last weekend with the Dutch Prime Minister, Mr. Lubbers, the Luxembourg Prime Minister, Mr. P. Werner, as well as with six members of the European Commission and later with the President, Mr. Gaston Thorn.

I also put Ireland's case to the Danish Prime Minister, Mr. P. Schluter, whom I visited yesterday for discussions in Copenhagen. On Thursday I shall be in Bonn for discussions with the German Chancellor, Mr. H. Kohl, and later that day I shall be visiting Paris for discussions with the French President, Mr. F. Mitterand. Arrangements for a possible meeting with the Italian Prime Minister are under discussion at the moment.

With regard to the section of the Taoiseach's answer which deals with the first part of each question, is the Taoiseach not aware that the opposition of the governments I have named is a well-known fact? Everybody else is prepared to comment on it, and why should we not comment on it in this House? Would the Taoiseach also say what his proposals are with regard to meeting the head of the Italian Government having regard to the fact that the greatest opposition to our gaining any exemption comes from the Italian Government?

With regard to the first part of the question, I do not propose to comment on the position of any government. I cannot conceive that it would be helpful. I do not think the Deputy can be serious in suggesting I should do so in the middle of a negotiation of this kind. With regard to meeting the Italian Prime Minister, arrangements for a possible meeting are under discussion at the moment, as I said in my reply.

Would the Taoiseach be prepared to say that what he is doing this week-end is far too little too late?

On the contrary. From the very beginning of this whole exercise I have given considerable thought to the timing of contacts with Governments and the form of those contacts. We have made our case by diplomatic means in the first instance, and have chosen deliberately from the outset to leave the bulk of the direct personal contacts to the closing stages when heads of governments would be directing their minds to the various key issues at Athens. I believe that was the right approach and that it will be vindicated in due course.

These questions are the worst example of political opportunism I have seen for a long time.