asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that considerable uneasiness exists in the minds of the people throughout the country as a consequence of his action in ordering the Great Southern Railways Company to cancel all trains scheduled to run to Bodenstown for the Wolfe Tone Commemoration on Sunday, June 21st, and of the appearance in the streets on that day of a large body of troops with full war-kit; and if he will state the reasons for his action in so interfering with a ceremony of this nature.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wolfe Tone Commemoration—Cancellation of Trains.
Tomás O Maoláin
The answer to the first part of the Deputy's question is in the negative. The reason for the interference with the ceremony was that a parade of an organisation purporting to be a military force not established and maintained by law was about to take place, and that the holding of such a parade is contrary to law.
In view of the importance of this issue and of the public issues involved, and of the uneasiness in the minds of the people, which the Minister doubts, and which I can assure him is very definite, and of the further fact that no such unwarranted interference has ever taken place since the Free State was established, I would ask, in view of the fact that a half hour would not be sufficient to discuss this matter, whether the President will give extra time to have it discussed?
We will take that point at the end of Questions.