asked the Minister for External Affairs whether he has made any representations to either the Stormont Administration or the British Government regarding the inadvisability of re-introducing the provisions of the Special Powers Act.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Special Powers Act.
14.
The Government's views in regard to the basic causes of recent riots in Belfast and of the political steps necessary to cure them are well known to the British Government.
Would the Minister not agree that the statement made by the Taoiseach before Christmas about the possible opening of internment camps in this country——
It has nothing to do with it.
——is of a nature which inhibits the making of any such representations as are envisaged here to the Northern Government? The Northern Government would simply reply, and the British Government would reply: "You are about to set up camps yourselves or may do so."
In theory, what the Deputy says may be attractive but, in actual practice, it is not so.
In other words, this would not be taken into consideration if you make such representations?
No—it is not inhibited: I think the Deputy said it would inhibit the making of representations.
Then you have made representations?
I say that, in actual practice, the attractive theory the Deputy has enunciated is not——
You do not make them for some other reason?