Vol. 248 No. 4
asked the Minister for External Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) that relief supplies are being kept from former Biafrans who are starving in the south eastern and south central States of Nigeria; when representations in the matter were last made by the Irish Government to the Nigerian authorities and the nature of same; and if, having regard to the public anxiety caused by such reports, he will make a statement on the matter.
16.
asked the Minister for External Affairs if his attention has been drawn to reports that there is widespread hunger in the former breakaway state of Biafra due to the failure to distribute relief supplies to that area or because the inhabitants are unable to buy food at the inflated prices existing there; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I would propose taking Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together.
As regards the overall situation I would refer the Deputies to the reply which I gave to a similar question in the Dáil on 3rd June. I have been assured by the Ambassador of Nigeria that supplies are being distributed in the area in adequate amounts.
Will the Minister accept that the report to which we make reference came from an Irish girl who has only just recently returned from Nigeria and that it therefore postdates the assurances which the Minister received from the Embassy in Nigeria? Would the Minister, having regard to the immense human suffering in the region in question, take new initiatives in the matter to ensure that adequate supplies are maintained?
If the Deputy will accept in the first place that we are a separate State from the sovereign State of Nigeria and after that if he will accept the information coming to me that there is over all adequate food, I would like to say to the House that this morning the Ambassador of Nigeria, who is visiting Dublin, came to see me. I explained to him that the House, because of our long links with his country, had certain anxieties about the situation. He told me that the supplies in the areas about which we had heard complaints are adequate and are being distributed and that the local States are being given the function of distributing from the Red Cross. I do not think there is anything more which could be said by a representative of another State to allay anxiety in our Parliament.
Is the Minister satisfied that the population of the former Biafra area are being treated with justice and compassion by the Nigerian Government?
Again, we should not be putting ourselves in the position of judging another country. I was informed that the distribution of food in the Ibo area is being done by Ibos. I hope that satisfies the Deputy.
Is the Minister satisfied that sufficient foodstuffs, medicines and medical personnel are finding their way into the eastern State of Nigeria?
All the information available to me is that the situation is as good as it could possibly be. I do not think it is the right of a Minister of this country to decide whether he is satisfied or not about what is going on in another country.
Question No. 17.
I want to get clarification.
Has the Deputy got a question to ask?
The Minister referred to the Ambassador of Nigeria. Is it the Irish Ambassador to Nigeria or the Nigerian Ambassador to Ireland?
The Ambassador from Nigeria to Ireland is resident in London and comes to Dublin. This morning he visited me in Dublin, not on this subject, but in the course of his visit I told him of the Dáil's anxiety.
Has the Minister any way of testing the veracity of the information? I am not doubting the information the Minister has.
I would not dare, any more than if I were asked if I was satisfied that all the people in the care of Deputy Ryan are fully paid.
They are. The Minister can be sure of that. The Minister can accept my word.
