May I ask the Minister if he would investigate the possibility of giving his Government's support to a proposal I made at the OECD meeting in Paris in 1986 to the effect that members of the GATT who are indirectly affected by some voluntary deal between two other members, for instance, the semiconductor deal between the US and Japan, that third party members should be able to take action in the context of GATT against these voluntary arrangements given that, at present, voluntary arrangements of this kind are being used to circumvent the GATT distance entirely? Would he consider that Ireland should try to take a lead on this issue, a hope I expressed in the contribution I made at the meeting in question.

I agree with the Deputy that that area of bilateralism is a problem. I will undertake to give very serious consideration to his proposal which is a very thoughtful one. We will see if it can be moved up on the agenda.