asked the Taoiseach if he has had any recent communication with the Northern Ireland Government; whether he is aware that armed raiders are using the Twenty-Six Counties as a base for their incursions into the Six Counties and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Northern Ireland Situation.
10.
The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. I deny the imputation contained in the second part of the question.
Surely the Taoiseach is aware that the he has allowed two and three armies to parade openly and in uniform in this country for the last year without being arrested and that the has allowed them to arm and train, to appear on television, to give press conferences and statements to the press signed by the adjutant and so-and-so of the IRA and that the Government have stood idly by while the Twenty-Six Counties are being used as a base for incursion into the Six Counties? Can the Taoiseach deny those things?
The Deputy's question refers to this area being used as a base for armed incursions. That is just not true.
Surely the Taoiseach is aware that people were arrested in Dundalk with arms and they admitted it and they further admitted that the arms were bought with money supplied by a fund raised by this Government?
That does not arise. The question relates to incursions.
(Interruptions.)
The Deputy and his colleagues quote Scripture when it suits them. Deputies opposite, and Deputy L'Estrange in particular, must be aware that there was a prosecution brought in respect of the case in Dundalk and that of the several people prosecuted all but one were dismissed at the preliminary stage and the one remaining was dismissed by a jury. I have no control nor would I want control over the decisions of the courts.
But surely the Taoiseach has control over his own Government and the Government have collective responsibility? Did he not connive early last year at the importation of arms into this country and did not withdraw until Deputy Cosgrave had the information? He connived along with those people in an effort to bring arms into this country.
The Deputy is making a speech.
The truth is coming out now and the Taoiseach, if he believes in collective responsibility, is as guilty as his Ministers were.
Would the Deputy please allow questions to continue and resume his seat?
The Deputy's allegation is typically in character with his previous allegations——
The allegation is quite true and the Taoiseach knows it.
——and I will make no attempt to comment further.
You did not withdraw until Deputy Cosgrave produced the information——
The Deputy should control himself.
——and then you and Deputy Gibbons, Minister for Defence, withdrew. It is something you had gone along with all the time until then.
Will the Deputy please sit down?
It is well known that the Taoiseach was as guilty as anybody else.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 11.
11.
asked the Taoiseach if he is prepared to make an appeal to all concerned in an effort to bring peace and stability to the people of the Six Counties.
Recent rioting in various parts of Belfast demonstrates the urgent necessity for creating conditions—social, economic and institutional—which will convince the general population that peace with justice will prevail. Community problems in the North are deep rooted and will only be solved by the exercise of great patience and understanding on all sides over a long period of time and by a proper appreciation of the cultural and political personality of the minority.
I would support the statement made last week by the Social Democratic and Labour Party urging that the security forces should have regard to the views of local community leaders on policing.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that what is said and done by the people of the 26 Counties and members of the Government has a bearing on the whole situation? Would the Taoiseach not further agree that there should be more consultation and more talks between men of goodwill on both sides of the Border so that the people would get to know one another? Will he not admit that at present there is a lot of misunderstanding, and indeed misguided thinking, on both sides of the Border about each other and that it would be to our mutual advantage that people of goodwill——
We cannot debate the matter.
——on both sides of the Border could consult one another and try to do something tangible?
Question No. 12.
That supplementary seems to relate more to the question which you have just called now.
That is right.
12.
asked the Taoiseach if it is his intention to reactivate the cross-Border talks between members of his Government and members of the Northern Ireland Government.
There is no objection on our part to cross-Border Ministerial contacts on matters of mutual interest as and when they arise.