andMr. McQuillan asked the Taoiseach whether his attention had been drawn to a statement by Mr. Fenner Brockway, M.P., that a solution of the Irish problem by means of a federal system, embracing North and South, within the British Commonwealth would be acceptable to very high authorities in, the Twenty-six counties; if he will make a statement on the Government's views with regard to the proposed solution; whether any proposals of this nature have been made to the Government; and, if so, by whom
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Problem: Federal System Solution.
2.
I have seen a newspaper report of the statement referred to in the Question. No such proposals as those indicated have been made to the Government.
In the course of a speech to the Oxford Union Society on the 15th October, 1959, I said that, at any conference to negotiate an agreement for the ending of Partition, it was probable that the question of the relationship between a re-united Ireland and the Commonwealth would be a main item on the Agenda. I have nothing to add to that remark.
Is it or is it not a fact that the high authority referred to in the Question is none other than the former Taoiseach, who is now the President?
So far as I am aware, no such proposals were ever made.
Is it not a fact that the person who was making the statement referred to a high authority and the high authority to whom he referred was none other than the former Taoiseach?
I have said, and I repeat, that no proposals of the kind mentioned in the Question have been made to the Government.
Were they made to the former Leader of the Government?
Would the Taoiseach answer the last supplementary, please?