asked the Minister for Justice whether he is aware that on Friday and Saturday last members of the Gárda Síochána called at certain newspaper establishments in Dublin and intimated that under threat of certain penalties provided for under the Constitution (Amendment No. 17) Act, 1931, the editors were not to publish any further communications emanating from an unlawful association; that those conveying the warning were not able to state the name of the association or associations intended; and if the Minister will state the purpose of the warning, and whether it is intended to serve the public interest; and, if so, whether in order to assist the newspaper proprietors and workers and more effectively to serve the public interest, he will give more explicit information to the Press as to what he requires.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Warning to Newspapers.
Acting on my instructions the police have drawn the attention of newspaper publishers to the provisions of Section 23 of Article 2A of the Constitution, which makes it an offence to print certain classes of documents. It is the intention of the Government to prosecute in future where this offence is committed, and I thought it right to give newspaper proprietors fair warning in regard to the legal position in order that they might have no cause to complain that they were taken by surprise. I take this opportunity to repeat that warning now.
Will the Minister say whether the warning refers to communications emanating from the I.R.A.?
It includes those.
Will the Minister inform the newspapers what are the definite organisations actively existing to which the warning refers?
The newspapers got whatever information was necessary.
Is the Minister aware that the Government Party organ referring to one organisation yesterday said that the funds were collected by means of the sale of the Easter Lily; that part of them goes to the leaders of the I.R.A., some of whom have declared that they will use arms against the majority of the Republican representatives and is the Minister aware that to-day the Government organ prints an advertisement in connection with the Easter Lily and for the purpose of inducing people to subscribe to these funds; and will the Minister say how on earth newspapers can interpret his general remarks or warning when they find the Government Party organ printing an advertisement for an organisation for the purpose of acquiring funds which that organ says are going to be used for the purpose of maintaining and arming men who declare that they will use arms against the Government?
Every case will have to be examined on its merits. I did not have an opportunity of examining the advertisement referred to, but if it contravenes the warning given the newspapers, it will be dealt with.
Oh, oh!
Will the Minister take into consideration the position in which people running newspapers find themselves; will he take into consideration that there are definite organisations which come within the category of those of which it is stated care ought to be exercised in printing their advertisements and will the Minister tell the newspapers what these organisations are; because the Minister must be aware that if the official Party organ says that certain men have declared that they are going to take up arms against the Government, and if that Party organ of the Government prints advertisements from such an organisation for the purpose of collecting funds, which will be used in the manner suggested by the Government Party organ, what on earth is the ordinary newspaper to do?
The newspapers will get all the information they require.
But they have not been given the information they asked for.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, in which in answer to the question by Deputy Mulcahy he says that it is the intention of the Government to prosecute newspapers who print certain classes of documents, and in reply to a supplementary question by the Deputy, in reference to the fact that some of these publications were emanating from the I.R.A., would the Minister be good enough to tell the House whether the I.R.A. is or is not an illegal organisation?
That is a separate question.
But the Minister says he is taking the opportunity of this question to issue a warning——
But the Chair says this is a separate question.
Is he conscious of the fact that communications received not directly from an unlawful association but indirectly may be open to the same objection as if they were received directly?
That is quite possible, undoubtedly, but all those cases have to be examined on their merits.
Are we to understand that the Minister is going to examine on its merits the case of the advertisement in to-day's Irish Press?