asked the Minister for External Affairs whether the office of Irish Free State Minister to Spain is serving any useful purpose under the present conditions, and, if not, whether he will suppress it till the end of the Spanish Civil War.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Office of Minister to Spain.
I do not consider it is in the interest of Saorstát Eireann to suppress the office of Saorstát Minister to Spain. I am satisfied that the Saorstát Minister is doing useful work for Saorstát nationals.
Is it a fact that, apart from the attempt to get back young men below the age of 21, the Minister is not in fact doing any work for Saorstát nationals in Spain? Is it a fact that he has no normal mode of intercourse with either Government in Spain, and no communication whatever except through the medium of British Consulate officials?
That is not accurate. As a matter of fact, he is in as good a position as under normal conditions almost.
Arising out of the Minister's reply that he was satisfied our Minister was doing useful work for Irish nationals in Spain, is it the case that the representations made by our Minister to the Burgos administration, on behalf of minors who had gone to Spain without the consent of their parents, were courteously acceded to, whereas similar representations made to Valencia, which the Minister is in fact accredited to, were met with the curt invitation to go to blazes?
The Deputy is using his imagination.
Is it not true that the Minister informed me, in reply to a question a few days ago, that, when he requested the Valencia Government to facilitate the transfer back to Ireland of persons under 21 years of age who had gone out there without the consent of their parents, he received no reply from Valencia?
That is not quite the same, I think.
Well, there are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with a pound of butter.
Has anyone in fact been repatriated to Ireland from either side as a result of the Minister's efforts?
No.
But those under 21 years of age have been put behind the lines by the Burgos administration, and the Valencia Government were prepared to do nothing whatever as a result of the representations made?
I gave my reply in explicit terms, and I am not responsible for anything the Deputy cares to read into it.
But we remain accredited to Valencia and do not recognise Burgos.