asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce with reference to the reply to Question No. 68 on 13th December, 1950, if he will state (a) what anti-Partition literature was available during 1950 free of charge at Shannon Airport; (b) what anti-Partition literature is now available there; (c) whether the pamphlets Ireland's Right to Unity and One Vote Equals Two are now available there free of charge, and, if so, since when, and (d) if it is a fact that, during 1950, pro-Partition literature such as publications like Coming Events in Britain was available free of charge on the counters at Shannon Airport as well as being available in transit on the aircraft to passengers on one air line.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Anti-Partition Literature.
The two pamphlets Ireland's Right to Unity and One Vote Equals Two have been available free of charge at Shannon Airport since November, 1950, and are still available. Supplies of the pamphlet John Bull's Other Island have also been provided recently for free distribution at the airport.
During 1950, pro-Partition literature was not available free of charge on the counters at Shannon Airport. The publication Coming Events in Britain is the official organ of the British Travel and Holidays Association and the issue containing the references to which the Deputy drew attention in his question on the 13th December, 1950, was not made available on any counter at the airport, but was distributed in transit on the aircraft to passengers travelling by one airline. So far as I am aware, the publication mentioned does not usually contain matter which might be classed as pro-Partition propaganda. Recently, current issues of this publication have been displayed at the airport on the counter in the offices of one airline.