asked the Taoiseach if he is aware that the Six-County Government has refused permission to the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen to hold a flag day in that area, and if he will make immediate representations to the Six-County Government in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Flag Days in Six Counties.
The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative.
May I inform the Taoiseach that it is quite correct that this permission was refused? Is the Taoiseach aware that the Six-County Government has refused this permit to the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen? Might I further inquire from the Taoiseach whether he is aware that his predecessor on 31st March last was asked to make representations to the Six-County Government to allow——
Surely that is a separate question.
——to allow the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen to hold flag days in the North?
That is surely a separate question.
The Taoiseach's predecessor stated at the time that he saw no reason to make representations as there was no question of a refusal but, if the question of refusal arose, he implied he would reconsider the matter. In view of that, would the Taoiseach take steps to make representations to the Six-County Government to co-operate in this matter?
I think there is a considerable amount of inaccuracy in both parts of the Deputy's supplementary query. The Department of Justice, to whose Minister another question is directed later, was informed this morning that no application was made on behalf of that organisation for a flag day. That is the first inaccuracy, so far as I am aware, in the Deputy's question.
To the Six County Government?
No. The honorary secretary of the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen informed the Department of Justice this morning that, so far as he was aware, no application had been made on behalf of their organisation to the authority of the Six Counties.
As regards the reply by the former Taoiseach, Deputy de Valera, he did not say he would reconsider the matter. It was put to him that he should help the organisation, if they made that application, to secure it by making representations to the Northern authorities that they ought to grant it. He said he would not do that; nor did he say he would make any representations afterwards. I have the reply here in front of me.