asked the Minister for External Affairs if he is aware that Mary Farrelly, of 4 Charleville Mall, North Strand, Dublin, applied for a passport to visit the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics on April 5th, and received no reply until April 27th, when her request was refused, no reason being given; and if he will state the grounds for the said refusal of facilities.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Passport to Russia.
Tomás O Maoláin
In this State, as in all others, applications for passports are examined in the first instance by the police authorities, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the granting of the passport would affect the general interests of justice and order within the State. The examination of the applications by the Department of External Affairs has in view the external interests of the State. In the case referred to in the question before me both aspects have been considered.
It is not customary to give the precise reason for refusal in individual cases, and I do not propose to depart from that rule.
Will the Minister state whether his Department has any set standard by which applicants for passports to the Union of Republics of Soviet Russia are to be judged in regard to the effect they would have on external or internal disorder? Is there any set standard by which applicants for passports are judged?
There is more or less a standard by which applicants are judged, but not in relation to the Union of Soviet Republics.
Would the same standard apply to the persons looking for passports to visit Austria or Germany?
Yes.
Would the Minister state for the information of the House on what grounds the refusal of this passport was based?
I do not intend to give information of that type. I do not regard this case as a serious one.
Does the Minister not think that others may be applying for passports to visit Soviet Russia?
There are others, and most of them are being refused.
Does the Minister think that it is undesirable for any intercourse to exist between the Union of Soviet Republics and this State?
Through the medium of these people, yes.
Will the Minister send a delegation over there himself?
Whenever I think it is necessary, certainly.