Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 121: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of EU directives for which her Department has responsibility which have yet to be implemented; the number in respect of which the deadline for implementation has passed; if she has satisfied herself with the rate of compliance by her Department; the number of cases where legal actions have been notified or commenced by the EU Commission arising from a failure to implement a directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3795/04]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The current position in relation to the transposition of EU Directives for which my Department is responsible indicates a total of 26 directives to be implemented, including ten for which the deadline for implementation, in full or inpart, has passed. Details of the directives,including, insofar as it has been decided, theproposed transposition instruments, are availableon my Department's website at www.entemp.ie/ecd/eudirectives. The website also contains information on directives in respect of which infringement proceedings have been commenced.

A letter of formal notice, under Article 226 of the treaty, has been issued by the European Commission in the case of one, and reasoned opinions in the case of another five, of the outstanding directives for which the deadline for implementation has passed.

I am satisfied that my Department is giving all due priority to the task of implementing the provisions of EU directives, in light of the available resources. As the Deputy may be aware, Ireland's position in regard to the transposition of directives improved significantly in 2003. The latest figures published by the Commission in January 2004 showed Ireland was joint third among the EU member states in the transposition of Internal Market directives.