asked the Minister for External Affairs the time at which and the date on which the Irish Embassy in Bonn received notice of an application by Irish seamen named Heaney and Martin for repatriation from Bremen; by whom the application was brought to the notice of the Irish Embassy; what action was taken by the Department of External Affairs thereon; when a decision was taken in the matter; and at what time and date the decision was conveyed to the persons who made the application.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Repatriation of Irish Seamen.
3.
Mr. Ryan
The Vice Consul in the British Consulate at Bremen informed the Embassy at Bonn by telephone on the morning of Thursday, 23rd June, that two Irish seamen named Heaney and Martin had applied to the British Consulate for repatriation. The Embassy, having requested the British Consulate to arrange accommodation for the men, telephoned the Department of External Affairs on the same day for instructions. The Department informed the Embassy on the afternoon of Monday 27th June that the men might be repatriated as distressed seamen.
The British Consulate was then immediately requested to inform the men of this decision and to arrange for their repatriation. The two men were repatriated on Tuesday, 28th June.