asked the Taoiseach whether he has received any official indication from the British Government of disagreement with his recent statements on Northern Ireland.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Statements on Northern Ireland.
1.
There has been discussions about recent events in the north and about statements made concerning them but I do not propose to indicate details of the subject matter.
The Taoiseach is probably aware of the statement made in the Commons recently regarding his own statement on the use of British troops in controlling riots in the north. Is the Taoiseach aware that the statement was made in the Commons and that it was not contradicted by any source here? The statement said that the British Government's disagreement with the Taoiseach's speech on that occasion was conveyed to him and that it had resulted in a satisfactory change in his own attitude. Could the Taoiseach give the tenor of any communication passed from the British Government to him over recent weeks in relation to his statement?
I do not recollect anybody saying that their dissatisfaction had been conveyed to me and that there was a resultant change in the tenor of my statements. I do not recall any such thing.
The Taoiseach is aware of the statement made in the Commons that the British Government's disagreement with his statement——
I do not know how long we can debate things which have been debated frequently. First of all, I would like to welcome Deputy O'Leary back. I am glad to see he is well again. In his absence on two successive weeks we debated this fairly extensively at Question Time.
There does remain the fact that in my absence I had the advantage of reading the daily newspapers. I have not seen any elaboration or clarification of the statement made in the Commons that in fact the British Government had communicated their disagreement with the Taoiseach's speech on that occasion. I am inquiring whether the Taoiseach is now saying that the British Government conveyed no such disagreement to him?
I said that there have been discussions about statements and events. I do not expect that everything I say in relation to events in Northern Ireland would be pleasing to either Stormont or Westminster.
What about the Taoiseach's statement about being the second guarantor?