asked the Minister for External Affairs if he is now in a position to state whether the Allied Governments have made representations to this country concerning the possibility of "war criminals" attempting to seek refuge here; and, if so, what was the nature of the replies given.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Treatment of “War Criminals”.
Certain representations were made and a reply was sent. I am not at present in a position to give further information.
Would the Taoiseach tell the House why he is not in a position to reply to the question of a Deputy on a matter like this? Surely a question such as this would merit a simple reply, yes or no. Could the Taoiseach not answer me on that point?
The Deputy should remember that the question of publicity is not a matter for our Government exclusively.
Could the Taoiseach say who is to decide who are "war criminals"? Is it Deputy Dockrell, or Deputy Dillon, or who is it?
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of these replies and the importance of this matter, both from an internal and external point of view, I beg the permission of the Chair to raise this matter on the adjournment.
I can only say, if this matter is raised to-night, that I am not in a position at present to give further information. I cannot give it.
Would the Taoiseach be good enough to say whether the correspondence in connection with this matter is still in progress or has it been finally disposed of?
I cannot even say that. I do not know.
I think there are "war criminals" in this House, Sir.
Could the Taoiseach say when he will be in a position to reply?
I cannot. These matters of public relations are matters of very grave importance and not matters to be bandied about in the market place.
This is not the market place.
I quite agree. I do not wish to be unreasonable, but five and a half weeks have elapsed since I first asked the question.
Might I suggest that Dáil Eireann can scarcely be appropriately described by the Taoiseach of this State as the market place?
I say definitely that it is not right that question of this sort, matters which are sometimes of extreme delicacy, should be discussed. There is a special organ set up by this Parliament to do that, and reasonable time ought to be given to have these things done, and if the Minister responsible gives a reply, telling the Dáil that he is not at the present time in a position to give further information, that ought, for the present, to be sufficient.
Will the Taoiseach consider, when question of this kind which are arousing a certain amount of public interest are raised, when individual Deputies feel it necessary to ask questions and he feels it proper in the public interest either to withhold or to delay information, approaching the leaders of the various Parties and explaining the matter to them?
We have already tried to get the Deputy in question to hold his hand until the appropriate time. He has not thought well of doing so.
In view of the difficulties in which individual Deputies find themselves with regard to particular matters and in view of the difficulties in which he may feel himself placed by the questions of individual Deputies, will the Taoiseach consider, when difficulties of this kind are likely to arise, discussing those difficulties with the leaders of the various Parties —I do not ask that he should discuss the complete details — so that the public may understand that the matter is being responsibly and suitably dealt with?
So long as there is a Government here, it must be assumed that it is being responsibly dealt with. If we are going to put the Government into commission, that is quite a different matter. The Government has a very responsible work to do and must get reasonable opportunities for doing it properly.
With regard to the statement made by the Taoiseach, I should like to say that it is five and a half weeks since I first asked this question. On that occasion, the Taoiseach asked me to be good enough to wait for a week or two. I waited for over two weeks and asked the question again. The Tánaiste again asked me to wait and I waited three weeks. I do not know what the Taoiseach knows in this matter, but I do not think five and a half weeks is an unreasonable time.
Would the Deputy remember that there is a world war on and that there are matters which other countries have to attend to apart from questions of this sort? We do not want to be unduly pestering and asking for replies, etc. There are sometimes occasions on which it is proper in the national interest, in the State interest, to await a reply when a response has been sent.
Would Deputy Dockrell tell the House who or what he means by "war criminals"?
I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he appreciates that I intervene in this matter entirely for the purpose of helping him and of safeguarding him against difficulties. I ask if, when he considers that he has been put in difficult position by any individual Deputy, he will consider the position of the whole of us and have such conversations as he may deem reasonable with the various leaders, so that he may be helped.
I would be prepared to consider that on suitable occasions, but I do not regard myself as being put in any extreme difficulty by the Deputy's question. We are put here in a responsible position to carry on the external relations of this State and anybody who has the slightest knowledge will know that sometimes a reasonable period of time has to elapse when a question which is not of immediate urgency arises. This matter has not become, apparently, immediately urgent at all yet.
Surely the Government should consider the Black and Tans, sent here by the British, as war criminals.
Not on this question.