Vol. 254 No. 2
asked the Taoiseach whether he will protest to the British and United Nations authorities at the savage brutality shown by British troops to the civilian population in Belfast on Thursday, 20th May; and what steps will be taken to ensure that there will be no repetition.
2.
asked the Taoiseach if he has made any approach to the British Government in connection with the behaviour of troops in the New Lodge area, Belfast, on 20th May; and, if so, if he will make a statement on the matter.
3.
asked the Taoiseach if any representations have been made by the Government to the British Home Secretary condemning the actions of certain British troops on 20th May in the New Lodge Road area, Belfast.
4.
asked the Taoiseach if he will approach the British Prime Minister with a view to having the Scottish Royal Highland Fusiliers Regiment withdrawn from the Six Counties.
5.
asked the Taoiseach if, in view of the present situation in Northern Ireland, he intends to ask the British Prime Minister to withdraw all Scottish regiments at present on duty there.
6.
asked the Taoiseach if he will seek to have United Nations observers sent to Northern Ireland; if he will make further efforts to have United Nations peace-keeping forces sent to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement in the matter.
With your permission Sir, I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6 together.
The Government's concern about the situation in Belfast during the past few days has been conveyed to the British authorities. I have frequently condemned violence in the North from any source and I do so unreservedly again. There is no excuse or justification whatever for the kind of thing that happened in Belfast last night and resulted in the death of a soldier and injury to a number of other people including children. The same goes for all the other bombing outrages by whomever inspired or executed.
In such circumstances it is too easy to lapse into despair or recrimination. We must avoid both.
In this respect we must continue the fresh approach recently initiated in the matter of North/South economic development and commercial relations. The process of removing the legitimate grievances of the minority and redressing the injustices of many decades has begun. This also must continue and, as I have said before, most recently on the appointment of Mr. Faulkner as Prime Minister, anything the Government can do to help in normalising the Northern society will be done willingly.
It is in the light of all this that I have publicly expressed the considered view of the Government that great care should be taken in dealing with the protests of the minority so as to avoid any possibility of the British Army being used, or being seen to be used, to repress legitimate protests with the concurrent risk of excessive reaction.
We have expressed these views in detail to the British authorities.
I think everybody will endorse what the Taoiseach has said. At the same time I am sure the Taoiseach will agree that provocation in a very dangerous situation, such as exists in the North, may not necessarily be a one-sided matter and that every reaction can lead to further trouble. I take it that is the point of view the Taoiseach's statements conveyed to the British authorities.
Yes. It was along those lines.
As the Taoiseach is aware, the situation has not improved as we all hoped it would improve when the British troops arrived. In view of that would the Taoiseach not consider it very desirable that a United Nations peacekeeping force should replace the British troops in the North of Ireland?
The Deputy will appreciate that such a proposal was made before. I do not see any purpose in making it again now. The matters at issue have been raised directly with the British authorities. I believe this is the quickest procedure and the most appropriate in the circumstances.
Has the Taoiseach any comment to make on the new powers that have been conferred on the British Army in Belfast? Will he state whether or not representations have been made with regard to the suggestion that the Scottish Fusiliers be taken out of Belfast?
Powers alleged to have been conferred.
I just read the newspapers.
No such new powers were conferred on the British forces. It is fair to say, I think, that Mr. Faulkner made another statement today in which he said it was clear from the context of his remarks that "acting suspiciously" related to circumstances in which firearms or explosives might be used. That conforms, as far as I know, with the authoritative instruction to members of the British Army and I have no doubt but that members of the British Army will conform to their proper instructions.
What about the Scottish regiments? Has any representation been made with regard to the withdrawal of the Scottish regiments from Belfast?
The views that have been expressed here and elsewhere in relation to these and other regiments will have been noted by the authorities.
But there was no direct approach made by the Taoiseach?
I do not want to tell the Deputy in detail what the subject matter of all approaches was, but I assure him that the remarks he has made will have been noted.
Most of the soldiers in the Scottish regiment are only boys. Last night I heard one, after the explosion, explaining that he was scared. Would the Taoiseach not agree that there is grave danger that their view of what might be suspicious circumstances might be different from that of mature men and, because of that, would an effort be made to ensure that young boys like that are not scared and possibly kill people?
The import of the Deputy's remarks will be carried to the appropriate quarters.
(Cavan): Arising out of the Taoiseach's reply to Deputy Enright, would the Taoiseach agree that because of the charges and counter charges made a reasonable case might now be made for United Nations observers on the scene as distinct from a United Nations peacekeeping force?
We believe that initially our case was reasonable, reasonable then as it is now, but the case we made was not successful. In any event we have reached the stage now at which our views are being listened to in Westminister; this is an important development since that occasion.
(Cavan): Would the Taoiseach not agree that circumstances have changed considerably since he made the request before?
Is it not a fact that the tour of duty of these troops will be completed in the middle of June?
I am not so sure about that, but I know these regiments have specific tours of duty and it may be that what Deputy Dowling suggests is correct.
I am sure the Taoiseach will accept that Deputies on both sides of this House are not anxious to raise any matter here which might further aggravate a dangerous situation, but what is happening, what has happened and what possibly may happen will continue to be of very real concern to all Deputies here.
I accept that entirely.
Does the Taoiseach not agree that, in view of the fact that this is the second occasion on which Scottish regiments have been involved, it ought to be brought as forcibly as possible to the notice of the British Government that care should be taken in future troop detachments to select such detachments on a more careful basis?
Again, I am sure the British Army authorities take these matters into account.
The Taoiseach says that the British authorities will be aware of the comments made in this House. Are we to take it then that there is no official condemnation by the Irish Government of the action of the Scottish regiments and that the announcement last night by the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, which gave carte blanche to any British private to shoot to kill in what he considered to be suspicious circumstances——
I think I have already dealt with that very fully.
I do not think the Taoiseach has dealt with it at all.
I will allow a final supplementary from Deputy Enright.
Arising out of the Taoiseach's reply, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the time he was in the United Nations in August, 1969, stated prior to leaving New York that the door was still ajar at the United Nations for the making of a further appeal. In view of the conduct of the Scottish regiment in the North of Ireland at the present time and in view of the fact that the presence of British troops is a provocation to many people in this country, would the Taoiseach not agree that it would be in the interests of everybody in the Thirty-Two Counties if United Nations troops replaced British troops?
I have made my position on that clear ever since I first spoke on the situation.
Notwithstanding the deplorable and provocative actions of the troops of the Scottish regiment on the 20th, would the Taoiseach reiterate that there is no excuse whatsoever for what happened last night in Belfast and condemn it without any reservation?
I have done that in the original reply and I am sure I am expressing the views of the Members of the House not only in doing that but also in conveying sympathy to the relatives of the man who was unfortunately killed in these tragic circumstances.
I agree with what the Taoiseach says, but is he condoning the statement of the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland?
Not at all.
He would appear to be.
