asked the Minister for External Affairs whether the Government are prepared to initiate a fund or request the Red Cross to initiate such a fund for the dependants of the seventy Africans who were killed by South African police at Sharpeville recently.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - South African Deaths: Fund for Dependants.
17.
In the case of major tragedies and disasters abroad which seem to call for international assistance, it has been customary for this country to channel such assistance through the Irish Red Cross Society in co-operation with the International League of Red Cross Societies. I have been in touch with the Red Cross and have ascertained that they have had no approach in connection with the recent happenings in South Africa from the International League or from any other quarter.
If an organisation such as the African National Congress make such an approach, will it be sympathetically considered?
One of the questions we would have to take into account is whether, if there were a collection here, it could be reasonably and fairly distributed.