asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he has given a written direction to Radio Telefís Éireann that they should not send a team of reporters and cameramen to North and South Vietnam.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - RTE Vietnam Feature.
6.
The answer is in the negative and I would refer the Deputy to the reply given by the Minister for External Affairs.
Further to the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, in that he referred to the reply by the Minister for External Affairs, the Parliamentary Secretary will no doubt recall some short time ago there was grave public disquiet about interference by Ministers of the Government with programmes, and particularly news programmes on Telefís Éireann. Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that, while there was grave public disquiet at interference by members of our own Government, there was the impression abroad now that this particular team visit to Vietnam was cancelled because of outside interference, other than by our own Government?
What authority has the Deputy for making that allegation? The Deputy should behave himself; it is not true.
I have the authority of 7,000 votes in Dublin South Central.
They know all about it.
With respect, Sir, they do not know; they are entitled to and I am entitled to ask on their behalf. The Minister may interfere with Telefís Éireann and deny the people their democratic rights, in that way, but the Minister will not interfere with my democratic rights.
The Deputy is interfering with my democratic rights when he says that this action was taken due to outside pressure. It is not true and the Deputy has no foundation for that allegation.
Action by the Minister and the Taoiseach with Telefís Éireann has undoubtedly created the impression——
That is not what the Deputy said: he said "this is what was done".
What I did say, and what I repeat, is that that is the impression that has been created.
It has not been created; the Deputy is trying to create that impression and he should not.
Can we take it that it is not true?
It is not true, and I have already said so twice.
If Deputy L'Estrange would go to Vietnam, we would let him go.