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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 14 Jul 1971

Vol. 255 No. 8

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Northern Ireland Situation.

1.

asked the Taoiseach whether he has under consideration any fresh initiative on the Northern Ireland situation.

3.

asked the Taoiseach if he will elaborate on the contents of his statement made at the Garden of Remembrance Truce commemoration function on Sunday, 11th July, 1971; and if he will state the Government's opinion on the reactions of the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland to it.

With your permission, Sir, I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 3 together.

My statement at the Garden of Remembrance Truce commemoration on the 11th July speaks for itself. I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by my commenting on the remarks made in relation to it by the Northern Ireland Prime Minister.

In his speech on Saturday the Taoiseach spoke about the national minority in relation to national unity and asked if our political concepts were sufficiently wide to include them and asked these questions—have we considered enough about the things they believe in; have we shown sufficient consideration about the things they believe in? The Taoiseach asked these searching questions in the course of that speech. Would the Taoiseach inform the House what exactly he means by these questions? What were the issues he had in mind in putting those questions? Would he outline what he had in mind?

I have always advocated, and it permeated my speech, that reconciliation between all Irishmen was necessary and in order to have reconciliation one would have to seek out what needs to be reconciled. It was an address and an appeal to all Irishmen to see in what way we can reconcile our different points of view so that we can bring about unification by peaceful means and by agreement.

Would the Taoiseach state whether he really considered that this ceremony in the Garden of Remembrance on the 11th July was a suitable occasion on which to address an appeal to the members of what he calls "the other tradition in Ireland"?

The Deputy seems to forget that the 11th July, 1971 was the 50th anniversary of the day, as I said, the British Government recognised the Irish nation, recognised the Irish nation to treat with the Irish nation, and after 50 years I felt it was timely that I should indicate to the British Government that they might consider a new initiative that might lessen the division between Irishmen and might terminate the division between the two parts of Ireland. I hope the Labour Party will not take me to task for advocating Irish reunification on such a date.

In view of the escalation of the resort to violence in Northern Ireland, the overtones of which now seem to permeate the Republic, could the Taoiseach reassure this House and, more particularly, reassure all people in Northern Ireland that in no way could his speech be construed as being a departure from Government policy as enunciated by him and supported by us in the past 12 months, namely, the seeking out and striving for a peaceful solution with all the peoples north and south of our divided country?

I do not know in what way Deputy Desmond can suggest that what I said last Sunday represented a departure from the policy that we as a Government have pursued. As I have said already, reconciliation permeated that speech. The British Government through their present Leader and the former British Government through their then Leader, stated publicly that, as far as they were concerned, if it was possible to achieve unity in Ireland and if Irish people could agree amongst themselves, they would not stand in the way. I felt that they could usefully go further since this experiment of Partition has obviously failed to achieve peace in Ireland, especially in the north-eastern part of our country, that they might go that step further by encouraging Irish unity. I do not see in what way what I said last Sunday was a departure.

The Taoiseach in that speech referred to political decisions being made elsewhere. I think the phrase was "as we awaited political decisions to be made elsewhere". Could the Taoiseach tell the House exactly which political decisions, and by whom, he was referring to in that statement?

Decisions by the United Kingdom Parliament. They have certain Statutes on their Book giving certain guarantees to the North of Ireland. I did not in any way advocate—in case the Deputy wants to imply or suggest or somebady else might do it—that the British Government would withdraw the kind of support they now give at this time to Northern Ireland but they should contemplate creating a situation where the people in the south and in the north can get together and live together in a united and peaceful Ireland, and by agreement.

Would the Taoiseach not agree that history shows that attempts to solve the problem of Irish unification by a deal between Dublin and London over the head of Belfast are doomed to failure, and that is what he was doing in his speech and that it only added fuel to the flames that are burning in Belfast?

I reject completely this implication that what I said added fuel to the flames that are burning in Belfast. I want to say again that I advocated reconciliation through my speech. I said that what I wanted to achieve was not going to be an overnight affair, that it was going to be a slow process and sometimes painful. I reject entirely any suggestion that anything I said precipitated any action or, as the Deputy put it, added fuel to the flames burning in Belfast.

Has the Taoiseach received any response to that part of his speech relating to decisions being made elsewhere or does he expect a response?

I think it is necessary for us to state our position from time to time. It is necessary, too, to try to create new initiatives as time passes. Remember, it is 50 years since this experiment was tried. It has not been a success. We have to try to do something about it and I want to do it in a peaceful way and, again, I want to say, to do it in a way by agreement between Irishmen, first between Irishmen in the north-eastern part of our country and subsequently between all Irishmen.

2.

asked the Taoiseach whether he is aware of any change in the general combat instructions of British troops in Northern Ireland to the effect that orders have been issued to shoot on suspicion.

Our concern about the statement of the Northern Ireland Prime Minister on the 25th May in relation to the combat instructions issued to British troops in the north was conveyed to the British authorities on the morning of the 26th May last. Subsequently the British Minister of State for Defence, Lord Balniel, detailed the actual instructions in the British House of Commons. I am not aware of any change in those instructions since then.

The Taoiseach is aware that the chief Opposition party in Stormont, as a result of the tragic events in the past few days, are calling for a public inquiry. Does the Taoiseach think it opportune for this Government to bring any pressure on the British to grant this inquiry in view of the grave repercussions on the Opposition in the north?

The Deputy was very annoyed with Deputy Cluskey yesterday when he tried to jump the gun in relation to his question by raising something on the Adjournment. The Deputy is aware or, if he is not aware, I will tell him now, that two other Deputies have a question on this subject in the ordinary course of order for answer tomorrow. I mentioned this fact yesterday and this will be dealt with in the appropriate manner tommorrow and will be dealt with very fully. In case there is any misunderstanding, I want to repeat what I said before, that as soon as that statement was made by the Northern Ireland Prime Minister, and perhaps in the less heated atmosphere of today, in reply to Deputy Cluskey, we made our views known and very cogently and very quickly, and following the making known of our views to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office—I am not saying only because of it, but following it—the British Under Secretary for Defence, Lord Balniel, very specifically in the House of Commons repudiated the concept of soldiers shooting people only on suspicion.

Would the Taoiseach not agree that the events of last week when two unarmed men were shot dead show that the British troops have not got the second message and are still acting on Brian Faulkner's message.

I do not believe they are acting on Brian Faulkner's message. I do not know what are the exact circumstances. An inquiry is called for. That will be dealt with tomorrow and could, perhaps, clear up the situation. I have already expressed my regret at the death of these two young men. I have expressed my sympathy with their relatives and, lest there should be any misunderstanding, I express regret also at the death of the two British soldiers and, equally, I convey my sympathy to their relatives.

May I put it to the Taoiseach——

I am calling Question No. 4.

While we all repudiate the inciting statement of Mr. Faulkner to the troops and while we also seek and demand an inquiry into the death of these two civilians in Derry, would the Taoiseach agree that the cold-blooded murder of two British troops in Belfast by so-called Provisional IRA who conspire to foment a civil war in Northern Ireland is also worthy of the contempt of all Irish people who have no alternative but to strive for a peaceful solution? Would the Taoiseach be prepared to put his views on record in relation to that particular habit?

I have just said that I deplore their being killed. I regret their deaths and I extend sympathy to their relatives. I hope that such a thing will never happen again.

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