asked the President if he has any information to give to the Dáil in regard to the scope and nature of the conversations announced, as without prejudice to the establishment of the Boundary Commission, by the Chairman of that body.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION.
The President has asked me to reply as follows:—
The announcement made by Mr. Justice Feetham is to the following effect:
"Since my arrival from South Africa I have seen President Cosgrave and Sir James Craig, and they have both agreed to my acting during the interval referred to on the lines of the suggestion made in Mr. Ramsay MacDonald's letters, and are giving me opportunities of informal discussion for the purpose of seeing whether an agreed settlement can be reached.
"It is, of course, understood that any such discussion is entirely without prejudice to the position taken by either Government in reference to the Commission."
I saw Mr. Justice Feetham on two occasions, and agreed to his proposal that he should make a tour of the Border, and I promised him, on behalf of the Authorities of the Saorstát, all facilities for the purpose of the tour.
Whenever Mr. Justice Feetham wishes to see me, for the purpose of informal discussion, with a view to seeing whether an agreed settlement can be reached; or for any other purpose in connection with the settlement of the Boundary Question, I shall be prepared to see him. No agreement or arrangement has been arrived at, in any way inconsistent with the claim of the Executive Council, that full effect should be given to Article 12 of the Treaty, and that, for that purpose, the Boundary should be determined by the Commission, in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants.
If any informal discussion, such as is referred to by Mr. Justice Feetham, should hereafter take place between the Judge and me, and as a result thereof any definite step were proposed which would in any way conflict with the policy of the Executive Council, as disclosed in the published correspondence and statements in the Dáil, it would, of course, be my duty to put the Dáil at once in possession of the facts and information in connection with such proposal.