asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state, in regard to a group of Irishmen who recently visited Russia on the invitation of the Soviet Government, (1) what facilities were sought from or granted by his Department, and (2) when, and by whom, the application for such facilities was made.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Group's Visit to Russia.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware from Press reports, four of the group of Irishmen who recently visited Russia reside in Dublin and two of them in Belfast.
The four Dublin residents are holders of Irish passports. Two of them were granted their passports in 1948 and the other two in 1949 and 1951 respectively. The Belfastmen do not hold Irish passports.
No special facilities other than the normal passport facilities were sought from or granted by my Department in these four cases.