§ Q9. Mr. Duffyasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his meeting in London on 1st November with Mr. Cosgrave, Prime Minister of the Irish Republic.
§ The Prime MinisterI append the text of the communiqué which was issued after my talks with Mr. Cosgrave on 1st November:—
The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Harold Wilson, M.P., met the Taoiseach, Mr. Liam Cosgrave, T.D., today. The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Rt. Hon. Merlyn Rees, M.P., Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The Taoiseach was accompanied by the Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Mr. Brendan Corish, T.D., and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Garret FitzGerald, T.D.The Prime Minister and the Taoiseach reaffirmed the identity of their views on Northern Ireland as expressed in the communiqué issued following their meeting on 11th September 1974.The Taoiseach raised with the Prime Minister the urgent concern of the Irish Government about the action taken by British farmers in relation to imports of Irish cattle and beef. The Prime Minister told the Taoiseach that he had asked for fuller reports on the situation and would communicate with him as soon as they had been received.The meeting also reviewed general aspects of EEC regional policy, including new proposals by the EEC Commission for the Regional Fund.