asked the Minister for Justice if his attention has been drawn to a report which states that organisations, other than the Irish Telephonists Association, which are neither representative of nor in sympathy with the political beliefs of the vast majority of the workers are intervening for their own purposes in the Irish Telephonists Association dispute; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Intervention in Telephonists' Dispute.
12.
The information given to me by the Garda authorities confirms the accuracy of this report, and it is supported by the destruction of Post Office property, which action has, as the Deputy is no doubt aware, been repudiated by the Irish Telephonists Association.
This, however, is nothing new. On the contrary, there is ample evidence that for some time anti-State organisations have adopted a definite policy of intervening under various guises in selected agitations and disputes with the object of getting those directly involved in them into conflict with the criminal law and the Garda Síochána.
I am glad to say, however, that in every case where those directly concerned recognised the ulterior motives behind the intervention, they made it clear that they neither sought nor welcomed support from such quarters.
The Minister will agree, I think, that the Telephonists Association has gone on record as clearly disassociating themselves from the company of these people?
That is in my reply. It does not take from the fact that there are subversive elements in the background.