My Department issued no such statement as referred to above. In my visits to Belfast I found that the majority of those who actively assisted me thoroughly approved of the removal of the Belfast Boycott. I do not intend to give those names.
THE NORTHERN BOYCOTT.
Chun an Aire um Chraobhsgaoileachain.
(To the Minister for Publicity).
To ask the Minister for Publicity whether his attention has been drawn to the resolution of the Belfast Comhairle Ceanntair contradicting his statement that "the Belfast Boycott was taken off at the request of the Belfast Catholics" and asserting that "the Comhairle Ceanntair, representing the majority of the Catholic population of Belfast, was never consulted regarding, and never approved of, the lifting of the Boycott."
In view of this resolution does the Minister for Publicity adhere to his assertion that the Boycott was taken off at the request of the Belfast Catholics? If he does adhere to it, will he for the information of the Dáil, and so that the people of Ireland may have some indication as to what really are the wishes of the Catholics of Belfast in this important matter, give the Dáil before the adjournment today the names of those Belfast Catholics upon whose representations the Belfast Boycott was removed?
—Seán MacEntee.
MR. FITZGERALD:
The Minister states that his Department issued no such statement. I did not ask whether his Department had issued a statement. I asked whether a statement made at a public meeting in Dun Laoghaire is true. He refuses to answer that question. He refuses to bring any evidence to substantiate it.
You cannot make a speech. You must ask a supplementary question.
I am going to ask it.
You must ask it now.
He charges me with a falsehood. Is that statement a falsehood?
MR. FITZGERALD:
I do not know what the supplementary question is.
There is no supplementary question asked.