asked the President whether his attention has been drawn to statements appearing in the Press and in the British Parliament regarding the amount of compensation awarded to "Unionists" in the Saorstát by the Wood Renton Commission; whether such statements are untrue, and if so, whether he would state what steps the Executive Council proposes to take in the matter.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - COMPENSATION AWARDS TO “UNIONISTS.”
I have not seen the particular statements referred to by the Deputy, but misrepresentations of this kind are part of the stock in trade of people of a certain political complexion and do not appear to me worthy of the dignity of being refuted.
Arising out of the answer, the Minister for Justice stated in dealing with this question yesterday that people with apparently short memories have been attempting to put a construction on the agreement. I suppose the President wishes to convey to the Dáil that they were representatives of the British Government that were attempting to dictate to the members of the Commission what they ought and ought not to read into the agreement or the terms of the agreement reached between the two countries. I take it what the Minister wished to convey to the Dáil yesterday was that that is responsible in a large measure for the delay.
I would not like to interpret what the Minister said, having regard to the fact that I did not hear him say it. Neither would I like to interpret offhand what his ideas were with regard to the matter.