asked the Minister for Justice if in view of the disclosures of ill-treatment of prisoners in the Six Counties in the Bennett Report and recent statements on the same topic by Doctors Irwin and Elliott he will order a cessation by our security forces of all co-operation with their counterparts in the Six Counties.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Six County Ill-treatment Allegations.
8.
It would not be appropriate for me as Minister for Justice to make any statement about the Bennett Report or the related matters mentioned in the question. Those matters will be dealt with in the near future by my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in reply to questions which are on the Order Paper addressed to him.
As far as the present question is concerned, the answer is no. I am satisfied that the co-operation that exists between the Garda Síochána and the RUC is of vital importance not alone in curbing the incidence of crime in this jurisdiction but also in the context of achieving peace in the whole of this island.
I consider that a decision to do as the Deputy suggests would be extremely harmful to the interests of the Irish nation and that it would represent a positive rejection of the aspirations of the majority of the people for a peaceful and agreed solution to the problem of Irish unity.
I am at a loss to know who should answer these questions. I have tabled questions for three Ministers, and the Taoiseach, but they are being taken by the Minister for Justice. That is rather unfair to him. I should like to know if any cognisance has been taken of the fact that the continued co-operation—the charitable way of putting collaboration—is a complete acceptance of the worst and the best of the RUC and all that goes with it? Knowing that the Minister is fully alive to the implications, and that it would be far from his mind to have anything to do with what is going on up there at the moment, I should like to know if he will consider, with his colleagues, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Defence, and the Taoiseach, if necessary, bringing this to the attention of the other members of the Government? We cannot ignore what is contained in the Bennett Report or the disclosures of Doctors Irwin and Elliott. We cannot ignore the continued co-operation that is taking place, something which did not take place not so many years ago.
Is the Deputy asking a question?
I am and it is one that the Chair has knowledge of. Will the Minister look into this matter and accept the situation that the continuance of this alleged co-operation or collaboration——
The Deputy is making a statement and I cannot allow that.
I have been a Member of the House for a long time and I have heard longer statements made and less said; I am still asking questions.
The Chair does not detect any question in the Deputy's statement.
Will the Minister consult with his colleagues on the grave implications in our continued co-operation with the forces above in view of the disclosures in the Bennett Report and of the statements of Doctors Elliott and Irwin? We cannot talk about these things and about those we took to the European Court when at the same time what went on then is going on now worse than ever and we are co-operating with them. We are a bloody laughing stock.
With regard to the Deputy's first supplementary question my answer is still "no" if the suggestion is that we should discontinue the co-operation which exists between the Garda Síochána and the RUC. Any other matters relating to the Bennett Report may be taken up by the Deputy, or any other Member, with the Minister for Foreign Affairs who will be replying to questions relating to this matter.
When?
While this side of the House endorses the substance of the Minister's reply, I should like to ask the Minister, particularly in the light of Deputy Blaney's statement that this question has been passed to the Minister by the Taoiseach, if he will discuss with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the desirability of pressing on the new British Government the urgent need, in the interests of justice and law and order, to ensure the acceptance of the RUC in Northern Ireland to carry through the stated intentions of the late Right Honourable Airey Neave, MP, to have this matter fully investigated and any necessary steps taken to deal with any malpractice that may have occurred?
The Taoiseach will be made aware of what the Deputy has said.
I should like to know if the bipartisan policy is a matter between the Taoiseach and the Leader of the Opposition unknown to the other members of the Fianna Fáil Government or is Deputy Colley's speech at the Pearse commemoration a re-awakening of Fianna Fáil ideals on which that party was founded?
It is the beginning of a leadership struggle.
Accept the Bennett Report on the RUC. It has not changed one whit. Although there are decent people in it, there are thugs also and the Deputy is aware of that. If the Deputy was up there he would know it as I do.