asked the Minister for Justice the number of members of An Garda Síochána or Special Branch members or former members of the force who were authorised to visit Northern Ireland between August 1969 and summer 1970 as referred to in a recent court case; by whom authorisation was given; and if the visits occurred with the knowledge and approval of the Cabinet.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Northern Ireland Visits.
62.
The term "Special Branch" is not used officially — the official term "Special Detective Unit" is applied to a section of the Garda Síochána. No former member of the Garda Síochána was sent on these duties, nor was any member of the Special Detective Unit sent. Furthermore, none of those sent was ever a member of that unit.
I should like to make it absolutely clear that, while for obvious reasons the members concerned did not travel in uniform, their mission was in no sense one of espionage or police inquiry as such: their task was simply to evaluate the situation in the north. The members in question were specially selected because of their personal background knowledge of the north and they were sent there so that they might be able to talk to people of various shades of political opinion and from different walks in life and, in this way, to obtain for the Minister a reliable appraisal of the situation in areas where serious trouble had arisen or seemed likely to arise and so assist the Government in coming to a decision as to how the Government could best contribute to the ending of violence or threats of violence.
It would be contrary to established practice to disclose information as to the number of gardaí who are engaged on particular duties at particular times and, in fact, the decision as to who should be sent and how many should be sent was left by the Minister to the commissioner, Garda Síochána. However the decision, in principle, that is to say, the decision that some members of the force should be sent to the north was made by my predecessor and was made with the knowledge of his colleagues in the Government.
I asked the Minister if it was made also with the approval of the Cabinet and I would draw the Minister's attention to my specific question. The Minister said it was made with the knowledge of the former Minister but may I ask if it was made with the approval of the Cabinet?
I have told the Deputy that the decision was made by my predecessor with the knowledge of his colleagues in the Government.
Does the Minister consider it desirable and in the public interest that Deputies should have had to await the serious public trial of former Ministers to get information of such a major public nature and——
This would be a different question.
It does not arise.
May I ask the Minister why that information, which had to be dragged out of witnesses in the High Court——
That is a separate question. Question No. 63.