asked the Taoiseach the circumstances which led to his television address in August of last year on the Northern Ireland problems; and whether any consultation preceded the speech.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Television Address by Taoiseach.
1.
The immediate reason for the television address I made on the evening of the 13th August, 1969, was the situation then in being in Derry. The speech was made following a meeting of the Government, especially convened, earlier that day.
Is it correct to assume that the speech represented the consensus feeling of the Cabinet at the time, that, in fact, the text of the speech was decided at a meeting of the Cabinet prior to the address on television?
That is not true. The Deputy, I am sure, having read the speech, will see about half of it covers decisions actually taken at that Cabinet meeting. The explanatory or other words leading up to the announcement of these decisions were obviously not composed in the Cabinet, but the decisions were made there.
I was only basing my opinion on the recent statement of Deputy Blaney, former Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, that the text was discussed and drawn up at that Cabinet meeting.
It is true to say the text was discussed but the Deputy will know from his own experience that 13 or 14 people sitting together cannot produce a text. That has to be the responsibility of one person or may be two, but certainly 14 men sitting round a table could not draw up a text.