asked the Minister for External Affairs whether in any official communication he has informed the British Government that, as publicly stated by him, it is the policy of the Government to adopt an attitude of neutrality in any war that may arise out of the present European situation, and whether he has asked for any assurance from the British Government that in the case of war in which the British Government may be engaged it will not make, nor endeavour to make, use of either the territory or the territorial waters of Ireland for its war purposes; if so, whether he will state what reply, if any, has been received; or, if not, whether he will state whether he proposes to make any such communication to the British Government, and request any such assurance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Government Policy in Event of European War.
asked the Minister for External Affairs whether in any official communication he has informed the French Government that, as publicly stated by him, it is the policy of the Government to adopt an attitude of neutrality in any war that may arise out of the present European situation, and whether he has asked for any assurance from the French Government that in the case of war in which the French Government may be engaged it will not make, nor endeavour to make, use of either the territory or the territorial waters of Ireland for its war purposes; if so, whether he will state what reply, if any, has been received; or, if not, whether he will state whether he proposes to make any such communication to the French Government, and request any such assurance.
asked the Minister for External Affairs whether in any official communication he has informed the German Government that, as publicly stated by him, it is the policy of the Government to adopt an attitude of neutrality in any war that may arise out of the present European situation, and whether he has asked for any assurance from the German Government that in the case of war in which the German Government may be engaged it will not make, nor endeavour to make, use of either the territory or the territorial waters of Ireland for its war purposes; if so, whether he will state what reply, if any, has been received; or, if not, whether he will state whether he proposes to make any such communication to the German Government, and request any such assurance.
asked the Minister for External Affairs whether in any official communication he has informed the Italian Government that, as publicly stated by him, it is the policy of the Government to adopt an attitude of neutrality in any war that may arise out of the present European situation and whether he has asked for any assurance from the Italian Government that in the case of war in which the Italian Government may be engaged it will not make, nor endeavour to make, use of either the territory or the territorial waters of Ireland for its war purposes; if so, whether he will state what reply, if any, has been received; or, if not, whether he will state whether he proposes to make any such communication to the Italian Government, and request any such assurance.
asked the Minister for External Affairs whether in any official communication he has informed the Spanish Government that, as publicly stated by him, it is the policy of the Government to adopt an attitude of neutrality in any war that may arise out of the present European situation, and whether he has asked for any assurance from the Spanish Government that in the case of war in which the Spanish Government may be engaged it will not make, nor endeavour to make, use of either the territory or the territorial waters of Ireland for its war purposes; if so, whether he will state what reply, if any, has been received; or, if not, whether he will state whether he proposes to make any such communication to the Spanish Government, and request any such assurance.
asked the Minister for External Affairs whether in any official communication he has informed the United States Government that, as publicly stated by him, it is the policy of the Government to adopt an attitude of neutrality in any war that may arise out of the present European situation, and whether he has asked for any assurance from the United States Government that in case of war in which the United States Government may be engaged it will not make, nor endeavour to make, use of either the territory or the territorial waters of Ireland for its war purposes; if so, whether he will state what reply, if any, has been received; or, if not, whether he will state whether he proposes to make any such communication to the United States Government, and request any such assurance.
I propose to take questions 2 to 7 together. No such communication has been sent to any Government and no request for assurances has been made nor is it, according to the present intentions of the Government, proposed to take any such action in relation to either of these matters. the Deputy is no doubt aware my statement on the aims of Government policy in this regard has been widely published.
Is the Taoiseach aware that in a map published in Germany, and republished, I think, on Tuesday last, 25th April, Ireland is linked up with Great Britain, France and Russia as the anti-Axis combine— from German source—and will he say, in so far as his answer to this question relates to question No. 4, he has instructed our Minister in Germany to state explicitly to the German Government what the Taoiseach has been trying to convey implicitly to the people at home: that is, that it is his declared policy to adopt strict neutrality in the case of war arising out of the present European situation?
I have not seen the map to which the Deputy refers, and I see no reason why anybody should have any doubt as to what our attitude is or what the Government policy is. With regard to the suggestion of making certain representations, I shall consider that matter.
Will the Taoiseach say for what purpose we maintain at public expense a Minister Plenipotentiary in Germany if that Minister is not instructed to convey in the clearest and most explicit way possible what the policy of the Government here is said to be, at any rate, on a matter so important as the possible involving of our country in a European war?
The only people who have any doubt as to what our attitude is are the people who believe statements such as those which the Deputy suggests. These are the only people who have any doubt as to what our attitude is or is likely to be.
Will the Taoiseach say, in so far as his answer relates to question No. 2, whether he himself is satisfied that the British Government understand and will respect the statements that he has made here: that this Government will maintain, respect of Éire, a position of neutrality in the case of a European war in which Great Britain will be engaged?
I am certain that the British Government will understand. Further than that I cannot go. If our right to pursue the policy which we deem best in the national interest is not respected, does the Deputy think that further assurances would add to it?
Will the Taoiseach say what steps he has taken to ascertain that the British Government understand the situation as he understands it?
I am not going to go any further than to repeat what I have said: that the British Government understand it, and the whole world understands it. It is only those whom the Deputy tries to mislead who can misunderstand it.
I understand from the Taoiseach now that our representatives have taken no steps to approach in a diplomatic way any government to explain our position; that the only means that other Powers, such as Great Britain, Germany, France and Italy, have of knowing what our attitude in the case of a European war would be, is by reading the speeches of the Taoiseach, but that, diplomatically, we have taken no steps and intend to take no steps whatever. Am I correct in representing the Taoiseach in that way?
Diplomatically and otherwise, Deputies ought to be quite well aware that there is no reason for any nation to think that our attitude would be other than that of neutrality.
But do I gather that diplomatically we have not put that before any Power in Europe?
I have answered the question fully, and I do not intend to allow myself to be further catechised about it.
Why not?
Because I will not.
The people of Ireland will then be as ignorant as the European Powers about it.
No. This is an attempt to mislead our own people.
Who is doing it?
The Deputies on the opposite benches, right and left.
I have here a copy of the Irish Times in which there is a statement from the expert of the British Air Force made at a meeting of Conservatives and Unionists from London and Liverpool. He is quoted here as saying that Foynes Air Port will play and important part in the next war. Would not that make anyone suspicious that we will, in some way, be involved in the next war? That statement, so far as I know, has never been contradicted. I do not want to misrepresent the Taoiseach, but that statement has never been contradicted.
I have stated here in the House, and I have stated in the country, that the aim of Government policy is to keep this country out of war, and nobody, either here or elsewhere, has any right to assume anything else.
All that I want to say is that this statement has never been contradicted. It appeared in the public Press, and the report also states that he was glad to be able to report to those people that the Irish Free State Government had fulfilled its agreements and obligations. That would arouse anybody's suspicions that we were going to be involved, and that Foynes is going to play an important part in the next war.
Am I to be responsible for statements in the newspapers? I can only state Government policy here, and I have stated that the aim of the Government and its policy is to keep our country out of war.
The Taoiseach says that he only has responsibility for certain things. I suggest that the Minister for External Affairs has certain responsibilities, and I suggest further that the Taoiseach, or the Minister for External Affairs, be asked seriously to consider the fulfilment of those responsibilities which he has refused to consider up to the present.
I have fulfilled my responsibilities in every way.
Question No. 8.
I want to put a supplementary question to question No. 3. I have only put supplementaries to question No. 2 up to the present. Would the Taoiseach say whether our Minister Plenipotentiary in Paris has made any communication of any kind to the French Government explaining our Government's attitude on the question of neutrality in war?
I have answered all that already.
So far as——
The reply by the Taoiseach was to questions 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7.
For the purpose, I suggest, of avoiding supplementary questions on separate questions. I submit that it would be unreasonable for the Chair to prevent supplementary questions being asked on at least one other question here.
Question No. 8.
May I say—
The Deputy must realise that he is anticipating the debate on the Vote for the Department of External Affairs.
May I put this question to the Taoiseach? In view of the fact that he is not now going to America, will he say when he intends to take——
The Deputy may raise that matter when the Order of Business is announced. Question No. 8.