andMr. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he made an address to Irish-Americans at the New York Statler Hotel on 25 September 1980; and, if so, if he made any appeal not to support Noraid and the Irish National Caucus in line with the call made by the Taoiseach in Cork.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish-American Address.
18.
Dr. Fitzgerald
I delivered the speech to which the Deputy refers in the Statler Hotel, New York on 25 September 1980 to prominent members of the Irish-American community. In my speech I was concerned to spell out a positive role for the Irish-American community in relation to Ireland, in line with the Taoiseach's speech on 27 July in Cork. This in itself was an important counter to organisations tainted by support for violance since these have on many occasions gained propaganda points by portraying Irish policy in this area as a purely negative posture.
Furthermore, the strong emphasis in my speech on exclusively peaceful means, on reconciliation, and on the democratic process clearly amounted to an appeal, couched in positive rather than negative terms, to repudiate all who do not subscribe to these values in Northern Ireland.
Dr. Fitzgerald
Why did the Minister not refer to the two organisations to which the Taoiseach had referred previously in his speech? Why did the Minister omit them? It was noted in press comments that he had done so and it was referred to as buttering up those elements. Why would the Minister want to butter them up and why was he not explicit, as the Taoiseach had been in Cork?
I was quite explicit in a number of radio interviews I did subsequent to the speech. I should like to emphasise that the middle of the road Irish Echo, a very sensible and responsible paper with a circulation of 40,000, reported my speech on the front page of its issue of 4 October and devoted a favourable editorial to it. They took the view that it was welcome to have somebody coming from Ireland to speak about Irish issues in a positive rather than a negative manner. I made my appeal on those terms and I felt it was the right approach to be positive rather than negative in regard to getting across to Irish Americans the importance of following the Irish Government, no matter what Government was in power, in regard to dealing in a democratic and responsible manner with the Northern problem.
Dr. Fitzgerald
If the Minister appealed to them not to give assistance to those who might be undertaking improper activities, why was he so coy about naming the bodies named by the Taoiseach? Once he had made that appeal which he thought apparently a negative approach why did he not name the organisations?
I did not speak to them in any condemnatory manner. Irish-Americans have tended to feel rather cut away from the realities of the situation when people lecture them. These are a mature community making their way within the American way of life and I sought to speak to them on a mature and constructive basis which was the right approach to mature people rather than going over there to lecture them and condemn sections of them in any particular manner. I think it was a reasonably successful speech on that account.
Bearing in mind the Minister's omission in this speech and the earlier shilly-shallying by his immediate predecessor, Deputy O'Kennedy, who had it in his speech but did not read it out, would the Minister now make it clear on the record of this House and confirm that he asked people not to support Noraid and the Irish National Caucus?
I certainly asked people not to support Noraid and they are undoubtedly identified with the raising of funds for the Provisional IRA and other illegal activities of violence in Northern Ireland. In regard to the Irish National Caucus I said here in answer to a previous question that there are many well-meaning people within that organisation and I sought to pitch my appeal to them and to well-meaning people within Irish American organisations generally who unfortunately do not know the facts about Ireland and do not realise that there is an Irish Government, democratically elected, with an Irish Army and Irish police and that this is the democratic body that speaks for all sensible Irish people in dealing with matters in the North. Pitching it in that manner and making an appeal of that kind was more successful than telling people they are wrong-headed and so on. People do not like to be told that.
Dr. Fitzgerald
In view of the Taoiseach's speech in Cork, would the Minister not have thought it appropriate to suggest to these well-meaning people that they should no longer support an organisation which the Taoiseach has made references to?
That was done talking to them afterwards and publicly on a number of Irish-American radio stations.
Question No. 19 is for written reply.