asked the Minister for Defence if he is aware that at a meeting of the County Executive of Fine Gael in Sligo on April 30th, at which he was present, the chairman was reported as having said that he was sorry to say that the F.C.A. was controlled entirely by Fianna Fáil in the Ballymote area and, if so, whether he will express disapproval of this association of the F.C.A. with Party politics, and discourage any similar references in future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - F.C.A.—Party Politics.
I am not aware that the statement was made. Like the Deputy, I am most anxious that the Army and all its components should be kept out of Party politics and, had I noticed the statement alleged to have been made on the occasion to which the Deputy refers, I would have pointed out its undesirability.