asked the Minister for Justice why it has now been decided to execute warrants against farmers who took part in the road blockade in view of the prospect of a settlement of the main issues at stake on Friday next.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Execution of Warrants against Farmers.
13.
I think that in view of the developments in the past 48 hours it would not be in the interests of the harmonious settlement of the matters in question to give that comprehensive answer which the facts merit. If the Deputy agrees with me, perhaps he would wait for a week or so and then if he re-enters the question, I will deal with it.
Is the Minister not aware that there was in the Taoiseach's office an assurance that the go-slow on the rates campaign would be called off on Friday and instead of that the Minister for Justice proceeded in the manner he did, taking out the Army and arming some of the guards to do an ordinary operation of collecting outstanding rates?
First of all, the gardaí were not armed on this occasion. Secondly, I, as Minister for Justice, took no directive attitude in this matter. It was merely a matter of the ordinary process of law taking its course.
Special Branch men.
Surely it was not the ordinary process of law in collecting arrears of rates to bring out the Army and to have Special Branch men armed for the occasion, to block roads and cut off telephones where there was no indication of resistance whatsoever and an open statement that there would be no resistance?
If Deputy Clinton by his hysterical outburst in this House, wants to damage matters that look like settling themselves, he can do it. My main concern is to see, first of all, that people desist from breaking the law and, secondly, where the law is broken, that the ordinary process of law takes its course in the ordinary way through the ordinary court orders. That is where I stand as Minister for Justice.
Deputy Clinton is concerned to see that this State does not turn out to be a police state.
Question No. 14.
The big jackboot.
The Deputy should consult Deputy O.J. Flanagan on that.
The Minister should consult the Taoiseach. There were no arrests in Cork because the Taoiseach had too much decency and commonsense but he had two bloodthirsty Ministers, the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and the Minister for Justice.
Why did the Government not proceed against another organisation? Why did the Government allow them six months' latitude? What authority had the police and the Army to block roads and refuse children permission to attend school?
Question No. 14.
Deputy L'Estrange has raised one matter that ought to be clarified. Last year members of the ICMSA were fined certain sums of money in the courts of this land. I was approached on their behalf——
On their knees.
——as any citizen of this land can come to the Minister for Justice, and make representations to have their fines mitigated. I decided to mitigate the fines from £5 to £1 and every single pound fine was paid to the full total.
By whom?
The proper process of the law was carried out. This has not happened so far in regard to the NFA. Despite repeated assurances from the Taoiseach and myself that the question of fines would be looked at sympathetically and reductions would be effected if representations were made, they have so far not done so.
If they crawled.
So far the statutory right of petition to the Minister for Justice which resides with every citizen of this country has not been submitted to me.
The Minister is well aware that the organisation concerned made no petition to the Minister and four months after the fines announced that they were not making a petition.
The Government are failing to break the NFA and that is what they are interested in.
Question No. 14.
The Government are failing to break the NFA.
You gave another organisation five months—one law for one section and another law for another. If you were in Taca, it would be all right.
Next question.
The NFA called you a gutless, spineless lot.
Question No. 14.
Fianna Fáil are now showing the zeal of converts for law and order. I cannot remember such a display of zeal for law and order in this House for a long time. "Dump your arms, boys; hand them over to the State". Deputy Aiken——
I advise Deputy L'Estrange not to tempt the Chair too far.