asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has protested to the British authorities in regard to statements in a British Sunday newspaper (details supplied).
Written Answers. - Anti-Irish Media Coverage.
279.
): The comments in a British Sunday newspaper to which the Deputy refers are, of course, entirely unacceptable and offensive to Irish people everywhere. They were made in the aftermath of the Brighton bombing and as the Deputy will be aware were totally unrepresentative of the general reaction of the British media following that outrage. The utter horror with which the vast majority of the Irish people and the leaders of all the constitutional nationalist parties in Ireland view such terrorist acts is now I feel well understood in Britain. Having said that, however, it is a serious matter when the editor of a British national newspaper writes in such a provocative, offensive and indeed racist way and entirely ignores the unanimous condemnation of the Brighton outrage expressed by political leaders here at home and by the Irish community organisations in Britain. It would be a mistake, of course, to attach too much importance to such ignorant and bigoted remarks particularly when there is reason, as I say, to hope that there is now a greater understanding of our position in Britain. Nevertheless I can assure the Deputy that the embassy in London have drawn the attention of the relevant newspaper at a senior editorial level to the offence caused by these remarks. I can also assure him that in my contacts with British Ministers I have drawn attention to the damaging impact of such anti-Irish comments made in the British media on relationships within these islands and in particular on the position of the Irish community in Britain. He will appreciate that in the context of the relationship between newspapers and Government both here and in Britain it is best to express our concern to political authorities in this general way. The embassy in London will continue to monitor the British media for instances of such anti-Irish prejudice and protest to the individual print or electronic medium where appropriate.