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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 14 Nov 1962

Vol. 197 No. 7

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC: Independent Foreign Policy Rights.

14.

andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for External Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the report of the Trade Union Congress policy statement that no agreement should be entered into which prejudiced the right of the Republic to pursue an independent foreign policy, free from defence commitments, other than such commitments to the United Nations; and whether full membership of the EEC will prejudice this right.

I have seen the policy statement adopted in July by the Annual Delegate Conference of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the Deputies to the many statements which have been made in this House over the past few months about the implications of membership of the European Economic Community.

You made a different statement every time you came into the House. Which one are you referring to now?

All of them.

Will the Taoiseach state whether it is now the intention that the principle is to be established that a person who advocates neutrality is a pro-Communist and if he believes that in being neutral from 1939 to 1945, he and his colleagues were proNazi? If his statement that in a country where 99 per cent. of the people are Christian, it is our responsibility to fight against Communism is correct, why was it that the Irish Government did not support Hitler's Germany in their advance into Russia in 1939?

I am quite prepared to accept the Deputy's assurance that any similarity between what he says and what Mr. Khrushchev says is purely coincidental.

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