asked the Taoiseach whether the periodical Voice of the North is receiving any subvention from official sources or enjoying any degree of official encouragement from the Government of Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Northern Periodical.
3.
The answer is "no".
Arising out of the Taoiseach's brief reply, may I ask the Taoiseach what truth, if any, is contained in the following statement published in our daily newspapers on 12th May? I quote:
At the end of August a civil rights information office was established in Monaghan town, financed either by the Government or by Fianna Fáil through the person of Mr. Blaney. Certain 26-County Army officers, including Captain Kelly, were present. It was in this office that Mr. Séamus Brady first suggested the idea of a newspaper which was later launched as the Voice of the North, a Fianna Fáil paper masquerading as civil rights.
Quotations are not in order at Question Time, but the Deputy may paraphrase.
I thank the Ceann Comhairle and, if I may paraphrase, the remainder of the quotation is to the effect that so many people were involved in this transaction that the Taoiseach must have known what was going on, so may I ask him to explain?
First of all, may I say definitely that Fianna Fáil, as an organisation, had nothing whatever to do with it.
As an organisation?
Fianna Fáil, without any qualification. Fianna Fáil is a political party. We had nothing whatever to do with it. I do not know the details to which the Deputy is referring me. If he will give me the particulars I will have them investigated.
Surely, when a Deputy purports to give a quotation, he should give the source of the quotation. Who made the statement? Was it the Deputy himself?
No. It is a Sinn Féin statement. May I ask the Taoiseach whether he is aware that it is not merely widely but, as far as I can find universally believed in the north that the Voice of the North which is sometimes referred to as the Voice of the South is in fact an unofficial Fianna Fáil organ and that the Fianna Fáil Party or the Government are carrying out a surreptitious propaganda campaign in that area?
I deny that. This paper is not a Fianna Fáil or Government organ.
Is the Taoiseach aware of the existence of the Voice of the North?
Yes, I am aware of it.
Was he aware of any contact between recent members of his Cabinet and the Voice of the North?
These are separate questions?
Is the Taoiseach saying that he knew of no connection between the recent members of his Cabinet and the publication of this paper and the activities surrounding this paper?
I do know it was alleged that the Government Information Bureau, for which I am responsible, initiated or was in some way responsible for the publication of that paper. That was denied officially by the Director of the Government Information Bureau. I stand over that denial completely.