asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has noted the report that Ireland was one of three countries failing to co-operate with the United Nations on the application of sanctions against Rhodesia; and if he will make a statement on the circumstances.
Written Answers. - Rhodesia Sanctions.
57.
I take it that the Deputy is referring to a recent newspaper report which said that "Liberia, Ireland and South Africa have been named among countries which have failed to give the United Nations details of ships suspected of carrying Rhodesian cargoes in violation of sanctions." The report by the Agence France Presse also suggested that Ireland had been named in connection with the transportation of Rhodesian sports equipment.
This report is erroneous and misleading. No question has arisen in regard to the transport of Rhodesian cargoes by Irish ships; and the United Nations Sanctions Committee did not raise any question in regard to this.
The Sanctions Committee did, however, ask for our comments on a newspaper report which had come to their attention and which indicated that a "Public Schools Wanderers" Rugby team was to tour Rhodesia and take part in five matches there in May last. The Committee indicated that such participation in sports events in Southern Rhodesia would, in its view, be contrary to the spirit and intent of sanctions imposed by the Security Council.
This communication was not replied to before the Committee published the most recent of its periodic reports in which it was stated that it awaited a reply from the Irish Government in regard to the rugby tour. The position of the Government on these matters is of course very well known— and it has indeed been praised by United Nations bodies in the past. As I have explained to the Dáil on previous occasions, the position is that we regret the participation by Irish sportsmen or women in sports events organised on a discriminatory basis and of course we regret any action which would be contrary to the spirit of the sanctions imposed against Southern Rhodesia by the Security Council. The Government have done what they can by way of public statement to discourage any actions of this kind. Sports organisations in this country however are private bodies, and we do not consider that it would be possible or desirable to seek to use legal measures to prevent actions which are deemed to be contrary to the spirit as distinct from the explicit requirements of the sanctions resolution. A reply in these terms has now been issued to the Sanctions Committee.