asked the Minister for Defence if he will state (1) the reason for the mobilisation of the Army; (2) the number of Reservists and others called up for service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mobilisation of the Army
(1) The Regular Army has been maintained mainly as a cadre for the Reserve and for reasons of economy its strength has been kept at the lowest possible figure. It is not therefore strong enough to take all the security measures necessitated by the emergency. Moreover the State has declared its neutrality and has thereby assumed the obligations imposed by international law and practice to equip itself to prevent violation of its neutrality by the belligerents.
(2) It is not in the public interest to disclose the number of Reservists called out for permanent service.
Am I to understand from the Minister's reply that the Minister refuses to tell Parliament the number of men who have been mobilised? Is that the gist of the Minister's answer?
Yes. I do not think it is in the public interest, at the moment anyhow, to give the figures. It may be, possibly, later on. I do not even know whether it will or not, but it is my view at the moment that it is not in the public interest to give those figures.
Might I ask if that view is shared by the Taoiseach?
It is.
It is not in the public interest to tell Parliament how many men have been mobilised, but it will be in the public interest to come to Parliament for so much money to pay so many men? How is it going to be done?
That has to be done in advance.
Will the Taoiseach answer this? Is not the whole spirit of the discussion here to-day a breach of the spirit of the undertakings given when we conferred the emergency powers on the Government?
I do not think so at all. In fact if I have any comment to make it is that the while discussion here, if every request made from the Opposition were met, would make it quite impossible for any democracy to exist and subsist through a really serious emergency.
In my opinion democracy has ceased to exist in this country according to our experience to-day.
When the Supplementary Estimate is brought before the House, will it not be the duty of the Government to show in the details of the Estimate the number of men to be recruited for the various ranks? If it is not contrary to the public interest for countries at war to give the number of those in their armies, surely to God it is not contrary to the interests of a neutral country to do the same?
It is not done. There is not a neutral country in the world at the present time in regard to which anybody knows exactly what forces they have, not to speak of the belligerent countries.
Would the Minister consider having a private sitting of the Dáil to discuss this question?