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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 Nov 1968

Vol. 236 No. 12

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Talks with British Premier.

1.

asked the Taoiseach if he will state the Government's present policy on Partition.

2.

asked the Taoiseach if during his recent visit to the British Premier he raised the question of Partition.

3.

asked the Taoiseach if during his recent talks with the British Premier he protested against the behaviour of the RUC during the recent civil rights march in Derry.

4.

asked the Taoiseach if, in his recent meeting with the British Premier, Mr. Wilson, he raised the question of civil rights for all the people of the Six Counties.

5.

asked the Taoiseach the results of his discussions with the British Prime Minister on the civil rights issue in Northern Ireland.

6.

asked the Taoiseach whether in view of his recent meeting in London with the British Prime Minister he is satisfied that a reform in civil liberties will commence in the Six Counties; and whether any maximum period for the implementation of such reform was mentioned.

7.

asked the Taoiseach if, during his talks with the British Premier, Mr. Wilson, there was any discussion about, or any agreement reached on, the possibility of tripartite talks between himself, the Six County Premier and Mr. Wilson.

8.

asked the Taoiseach the results of his discussions with the British Prime Minister on the economic position in Ireland in relation to the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement.

9.

asked the Taoiseach if, during his meeting with the British Premier, there was any discussion about revision of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement.

10.

asked the Taoiseach if, in his recent meeting with the British Premier, there was any discussion regarding the applications by this country and Britain for membership of the EEC.

11.

asked the Taoiseach if he will give details and the results of his talks with the British Prime Minister in relation to (a) the Common Market, (b) violence in Derry and (c) the problem of Irish emigrants and the welfare service scheme for them; and if he will make a general statement on all aspects of his discussions.

12.

asked the Taoiseach what matters were discussed between the British Prime Minister and himself on his recent visit to London; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

13.

asked the Taoiseach the reason for his recent meeting with the British Prime Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

14.

asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement in connection with his recent visit to the British Prime Minister.

I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 1 to 14 together.

In my talks with the British Prime Minister we covered a number of questions of mutual interest regarding the development of fruitful co-operation between the two countries in the economic field. We also touched on the prospects for the expansion of the European Communities.

The operation of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement but not its revision was discussed. The position of Irish immigrants was not amongst the subjects discussed.

My primary purpose in meeting Mr. Wilson was to make known to him the views of the Irish Government in relation to the recent civil rights protest in Derry and to indicate to him that we regarded the partition of our country as its root cause.

I believe that the Northern Prime Minister is anxious to promote civil rights and I am hopeful that, as a result of our respective discussions with Mr. Wilson, progress will be made to this end.

I do not expect that there is any early prospect of tripartite talks.

Would the Taoiseach not agree that his own statement on Partition has not helped the position in regard to co-operation between Catholics and Protestants in the North, as witnessed by the remarks of Mr. Gerry Fitt in the House of Commons yesterday?

I do not agree.

Since the Taoiseach has wrapped up 14 Questions in one reply, would he repeat his reference to the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement and the EEC?

I said we discussed the operation of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement; we did not discuss its revision. We also discussed the prospect of expanding the membership of the European Communities.

Did the Taoiseach ask Mr. Wilson if it was working well?

He thought it was working well in our favour.

And the Taoiseach thought it was working well?

Yes, I think so.

And the Taoiseach does not see any reason to revise the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement?

Did the Prime Minister give any indication whether he was hopeful action would be taken to ensure the end of discriminatory practices in the Six Counties?

He listened carefully to all the points I made. He told me he would be discussing the matter the following week, that is yesterday, with Mr. O'Neill, and I expect that from that some improvement will result in the civil rights position.

Did the Taoiseach make any reference to the many problems of Irish emigrants in Britain?

I did not. I said in my reply I did not discuss those.

Did the Taoiseach not think they were of importance for mention?

I do regard them as important but, as I said, my primary purpose was to discuss the Derry incidents. I also discussed trading matters, but the time available did not permit of a wider range of discussions between us.

Was any limit put on the implementation of any reforms in the North? Did the Taoiseach refer to the lifetime of the British Labour Government as the time within which to see some improvement in the northern area in regard to civil rights? Did the Taoiseach make this point?

I did not presume to comment on the lifetime of the present British Government, but I expressed the hope that the situation would be redressed at the earliest possible moment.

Is the Taoiseach not aware that the present situation in the Six Counties is due to the treaty which was signed by the progenitors of the Fine Gael Party?

(Interruptions.)

Only you missed the train in Limerick you would have been in the British army.

The Taoiseach says he is satisfied with the working of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement. How does he square this with his speech on April 29th last in which he told the Management Institute he expected one-third of the Irish home market would be lost to British competition? In those circumstances, how can he say the agreement does not call for revision?

The Deputy seems to lose sight of the fact that free trade arrangements between countries throughout the world are coming nearer and nearer and that we cannot hope to live in isolation against that. In direct reply to the Deputy's supplementary, our exports of manufactured goods have been rising spectacularly in recent years.

The Taoiseach must be aware that this is the early part of the term of the agreement.

Is the Taoiseach not aware that the agreement was signed on the assumption that we would be members of the EEC by 1970?

We had this object in view but we always regarded the Free Trade Area Agreement, apart from the benefits it would bring us, as a useful exercise on the part of our industrialists to prepare for wider free trade.

(Cavan): Does the Taoiseach not think that his interview at Dublin Airport on his return, when he commented on Captain O'Neill's reference to the Taoiseach's reference to Derry, was extremely weak, and would he not agree his interview at the airport amounted really to an apology for going over and raising the Derry incident?

Some people regarded my reference as being too strong.

Just ridiculous.

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