asked the Minister for External Affairs whether the Government have received a request from the Secretary General of the United Nations for a contingent of Irish troops for the United Nations force in Cyprus; and, if so, what decision has been taken on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cyprus: UN Request for Irish Troops.
22.
As already announced, the Government considered the request received from the Secretary General of the United Nations for a contingent of Irish troops for the proposed United Nations peace-keeping force in Cyprus and decided to address inquiries to him on a number of aspects of the proposed operation on which clarification is necessary.
Is the Minister in a position to state the numbers mentioned by the Secretary General of the United Nations that may be required in Cyprus?
A battalion.
Is the Minister in a position to say whether or not the Secretary General of the United Nations described in any detail the role which Irish soldiers would be required to play in Cyprus and did he give any details of the conditions under which they would act as a peace crops in Cyprus?
He broadly indicated that it would be a peace-keeping force.
I assume that in relation to these questions that I have asked, the Government are asking for information from the Secretary General before they make a decision?
That is right.
Would the Minister say what strength a battalion is, in view of the fact that battalions here have been ranging from a couple of hundred to about a thousand?
No, they have not— round about 600 or 700.
May we take it that, whatever the answer to a request for a force strictly confined to keeping the peace may be, no question will arise of the United Nations seeking Irish troops to enforce any suggestion of partition?
Get Fine Gael to do that.
We have informed the public that the Secretary General asked us for a battalion to go to Cyprus on a peace-keeping operation and that is the situation. We are seeking clarification of the whole operation.
Does the Minister think it requisite to make it quite clear at an appropriate stage that, whatever responsibility we will be prepared to take in assisting the maintenance of peace, we would not be prepared to participate in an operation of partition and is it not requisite to make that quite clear before we undertake responsibilities with regard to this general situation? Would the Minister be good enough to answer that question?
There are certain things that do not require to be stated in relation to it.
Cannot you be frank about it and tell the truth?
Send a Fine Gael battalion.
I would ask the Minister for External Affairs, if he finds it necessary to introduce a proposal in this House to send a battalion to Cyprus, to take pains to ensure that the fullest information will be available to the various Parties in the House.
I am sure that if such a motion were put forward, naturally all parties would get full information.
The Minister will appreciate, as I am sure the Taoiseach appreciates, that this is not as relatively simple as our decision to send a peace corps to the Congo?
You are telling me.
Is it not a fact that a resolution must be brought before the Dáil before any troops are sent?
That is right.