Ireland's accession
Ireland's accession
Ireland's accession
TextAccession negotiations
Memorandum from Denis Corboy to Louis Janz (17 November 1969)
TextOn 17 November 1969, Denis Corboy, attaché in the European Communities’ Dublin Information Centre, forwards to Louis Janz, Director of the European Communities’ Press and Information Service, a summary of the parliamentary debates prompted in Ireland by that country’s possible accession to the European Communities.
Note from the Commission’s Directorate-General for External Relations (19 December 1969)
TextOn 19 December 1969, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for External Relations forwards to Gaetano Martino, Commissioner with special responsibility for external relations, a summary of the outcome of the working meeting held two days earlier in Brussels between agricultural experts from the Commission and Ireland.
Mémorandum du Conseil irlandais du Mouvement européen (30 janvier 1970)
TextLe 23 mars 1970, l'Agence Europe publie le texte in extenso du mémorandum adopté le 30 janvier 1970 par le Conseil irlandais du Mouvement européen qui définit la position de l'Irlande vis-à-vis des Communautés européennes en voie d'élargissement.
White Paper on the Membership of the European Communities: Implications for lreland (Dublin, April 1970)
TextPublished in April 1970 by the Irish Government, the white paper on the subject of Ireland's accession to the European Economic Community (EEC) analyses the economic, political and social consequences of membership.
Report by the Irish Department of Agriculture on Irish Agriculture and Fisheries in the EEC (April 1970)
TextIn April 1970, in the framework of the negotiations for Ireland's accession to the European Economic Community (EEC), the Irish Ministry of Agriculture analyzes the effects of European integration on the agricultural and fishing sectors.
Debates at the Irish Parliament (23 June 1970)
TextOn 23 June 1970, Irish MPs examine the Dublin Government’s White Paper on Ireland’s accession to the European Economic Community (EEC) and debate its potential economic, political and social repercussions.
Speech by Patrick Hillery (Luxembourg, 30 June 1970)
TextOn 30 June 1970 at the Luxembourg Diplomatic Conference, Patrick Hillery, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, welcomes the official opening of the accession negotiations of the candidate countries to the European Communities.
Paper presented at an Irish Congress of Trade Unions conference on Irish agriculture and the EEC (1971)
TextIn 1971, Patrick O'Keefe, editor of the Irish Farmers' Journal tells Irish trade union activists about the advantages that the country’s membership of the European Economic Community would bring to Irish agriculture.
Report on the accession of Ireland to the European Communities (Dublin, January, 1972)
TextIn an official report published in January 1972 and presented to both Houses of the national parliament, the Irish Government highlights the importance of Ireland's accession to the European Communities.
The debate in Ireland
Speech by Patrick Hillery at the Confederation of Irish Industries (Dublin, 15 April 1971)
TextOn 15 April 1971, at the annual dinner of the Confederation of Irish Industries and in the presence of Altiero Spinelli, member of the European Commission, Patrick Hillery, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, sets out the stakes of the country's accession to the European Communities.
Pamphlet issued by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs on the EEC and Irish industry (October 1971)
TextIn October 1971, the Irish Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes a brochure detailing the positive effects of the European Common Market on the national industry and on the labor market.
Pamphlet issued by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs on the EEC and Irish agriculture (December 1971)
TextIn December 1971, the Irish Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes a brochure describing the impact of the European Common Market on national agriculture.
Pamphlet by the Irish Council of the European Movement on the Irish farmer in the EC (1971)
TextIn 1971, the Irish Council of the European Movement publishes a booklet detailing the potential advantages for national agriculture after Ireland's accession to the European Common Market.
Sinn Féin, Why Sinn Féin says No to the Common Market
TextIn 1972, Sinn Féin, the Irish nationalist republican party, warns the Irish against the repercussions of Ireland’s participation in the Common Market.
Fianna Fail, At the door to Europe
TextIn 1972, in the run-up to Ireland’s accession to the European Communities, the Irish political party Fianna Fail publishes a guide which answers the key questions on the country’s participation in the European Community.
Irish Transport and General Workers Union, No to EEC
TextIn 1972, in the run-up to the referendum on Ireland’s accession to the European Communities, to be held on 10 May, the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union publishes a note in which it opposes Irish accession to the Communities.
Irish Farmers' Association, E.E.C. Questions and Answers
TextIn 1972, in the run-up to the referendum on Ireland’s accession to the European Communities, to be held on 10 May, the Irish Farmers’ Association sends out the results of a detailed study to its members analysing the potential advantages and disadvantages of the country’s participation in the Community system.
The signing of the Accession Treaty
Treaty concerning the Accession of the Kingdom of Denmark, Ireland, the Kingdom of Norway and the United Kingdom to the EEC and the EAEC (Brussels, 22 January 1972)
TextTreaty concerning the accession to the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community of the Kingdom of Denmark, Ireland, the Kingdom of Norway and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Speech by John Lynch (Brussels, 22 January 1972)
TextOn 22 January 1972, at the signature of the Treaty of Accession to the European Economic Community (EEC), the Irish Prime Minister, John Lynch, highlights the historical significance of the EEC enlargement process.
The accession of Ireland to the European Communities (Brussels, 22 January 1972)
ImageOn 22 January 1972, in Brussels, Patrick Hillery, Irish Foreign Minister (on the left) and Jack Lynch, Prime Minister (on the right), sign Ireldand's Treaty of Accession to the European Communities.
Ireland joins the European Communities (1 January 1973)
ImageOn 1 January 1973, Sean Padraig Kennan (on the right), Permanent Representative of the Republic of Ireland to the European Communities, hands his letter of credentials to André Dubois (Director-Secretary General of the Council).
The accession of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark to the European Communities (1973)
MapOn 1 January 1973, the accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom brings the number of Member States of the European Community to nine.
'Europe des patries?' from The Irish Times (24 January 1972)
TextOn 24 January 1972, the day after Ireland signed the Treaty of Accession to the European Communities, the Irish daily The Irish Times wonders in what Europe the country enters.
Reactions to the signing of the Accession Treaty
'Particular problems relating to Ireland' from Bulletin of the European Economic Community (1972)
TextIn January 1972, the Bulletin of the European Communities publishes a detailed analysis of the particular problems relating to Ireland's membership of the European Communities.
"Quand les Irlandais deviendront Européens" dans Europa Union (Décembre 1972)
TextEn décembre 1972, la revue Europa Union annonce la fin de la période de pauvreté et de misère en Irlande grâce à l'adhésion du pays aux Communautés européennes.
Garret FitzGerald
ImageGarret FitzGerald, Irish Foreign Minister from 1973 to 1977 and Prime Minister from 1981 to 1982 and from 1982 to 1987.
Referendum in Ireland
Speech by Jack Lynch at the Irish Parliament (21 March 1972)
TextOn 21 March 1972, the Irish Prime Minister, Jack Lynch, announces to the Dáil that a national referendum is soon to be held on the issue of Ireland’s accession to the European Economic Community (EEC).
Intervention by Liam Cosgrave at the Irish Parliament (21 mars 1972)
TextOn 21 March 1972, Liam Cosgrave, Leader of the Irish Liberal Party, Fine Gael, reiterates the implications of the forthcoming national referendum on Ireland’s accession to the European Economic Community (EEC).
Denis Maher, The Tortuous Path
TextIn his memoirs, Denis Maher, former Member of the Irish Delegation to the negotiations on the accession of Ireland to the European Communities, describes the debates concerning the popular referendum of 10 May 1972.
Irish Socialist Party pamphlet against Irish membership of the European Economic Community (January 1972)
TextIn this pamphlet, published in 1972, the Irish Socialist Party strongly emphasises the dangers that pose a threat to Ireland should it join the European Economic Community (EEC).
Fianna Fail, Votes for Europe
TextAlcee L. Hastings (United States), elected President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in July 2004 during the 13th Annual Session in Edinburgh.
'Ireland in the Community' from L'Europe en formation
TextIn its June 1972 issue, the federalist journal L’Europe en formation draws lessons from the referendum organised in Ireland on 10 May 1972, at the conclusion of which more than 80 % of votes cast were in favour of the country’s accession to the European Communities.
Portrait of the Republic of Ireland (RTL, 18 April 1972)
Audio extractOn 18 April 1972, the French journalist Claude Darcet draws a portrait of the Republic of Ireland, which is preparing to join the European Economic Community.