asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the Government's policy with regard to the decolonisation of New Caledonia.
Written Answers. - New Caledonian Decolonisation.
36.
Ireland supports the UN call for decolonisation and its call for the administering powers to take the necessary steps to enable the peoples of the territories concerned to exercise their right to self-determination and independence. In this connection Ireland notes that a French law adopted on 17 July 1986 provides that the population of New Caledonia will be consulted within 12 months on the accession of the territory to independence or its maintenance within the French Republic with a statute based on autonomy and regionalistaion.