asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will indicate whether his reply to a question put down by me and answered by him on the 14th November was intended in any way to relieve the British Government of its responsibility for provocative and insulting action against the Irish flag in that portion of Ireland over which Britain claims jurisdiction.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Insult to Irish Flag.
I am not aware that anyone has construed or could construe the answer to which the Deputy refers as having the intention suggested in the question.
It was just in the event that that answer might be misconstrued in the sense indicated that I asked the question. Would the Minister give an indication that he does not absolve the British Government of responsibility in the matter?
The Deputy is not inferring that it is open to such a construction, is he?
Yes, the answer was open to that construction.
The answer that the Deputy gave Deputy Seán Brady on 13th July, 1950, when he was asked about the case in 1950 was as follows:—
"Mr. Brady asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state whether he received a satisfactory reply to his strong protest to the British Government on 31st January last in reference to a case in Armagh where an Irishman was charged with and convicted of displaying the Irish flag; and further, whether his attention has been directed to a recent case where an American visitor had the Irish flag removed from his car by the R.U.C. officers and if he has made any protest in this matter; and, if so, with what result."
The reply was:—
"I regret to say that the answer to the first part of the question is in the negative."
He did not get any satisfactory reply. He went on:—
"My attention has been drawn to the recent case in which an Irish flag was removed from an American visitor's car by the R.U.C., but no additional protest was made as regards that particular case. I do not want to give the impression that our objection is to the enforcement of this outrageous law in particular cases. The ground of our objection is the existence of a law which makes it an offence to possess or display the Irish Flag."
The Deputy then refused to protest in a particular instance and he also refused——
With respect, I am sure that the Minister will be the first to appreciate the difference when a similar case had occurred in Armagh. The question was put to me in this House. This is the answer which I made:—
"I have seen the report referred to by the Deputy. As soon as my attention was drawn to the Press reports in question, I made inquiries to satisfy myself that the facts were as stated. A strong protest was then made to the British Government on 31st January last. It was pointed out that the continuance of a state of affairs wherein a law was in existence, and enforced, which purported to render it a criminal offence to display the Irish Flag in Ireland was provocative and caused deep offence to Irish national sentiment.
It was further pointed out that, while the Irish Government did not admit Britain's claim to exercise jurisdiction over any portion of Ireland, the British Government must, nevertheless, by purporting to include a portion of Ireland in the United Kingdom, accept responsibility for such laws and such actions."
The difference was in relation to a similar case in Armagh. The subsequent case was that of an American citizen who had been interfered with. May I ask the Minister seriously to give some indication, which he did not give in his reply to my question, to my surprise, that he does not absolve the British Government of responsibility? I think that his answer was open to the inference that he merely held the Belfast Government responsible with regard to the question. I think that he should give a clear indication that he does not absolve the British Government of responsibility. That is why I put down the question.
The Deputy is and has been for a number of years a bad influence on Irish politics by trying to arrogate to himself sole possession of a sentiment against Partition. If there is one thing on which the Irish people are united, as on nothing else, it is on the question of Partition.
Mr. O'Higgins
Answer the question.
The Deputy's arrogation of sole possession of this sentiment is serving a very bad purpose.
Address that to your own Leader.
Deputy "Mousetraps" is there, too.
Mousetraps are very useful to the Deputy to get the little boys.
On a point of order!
A point of order has been raised.
On a point of order. I have asked the Minister whether he will now indicate that he does not absolve the British Government of responsibility and he has not answered that question.
That is not a point of order. The Chair has no power to force the Minister to make any answer.
Surely he should answer that question.
It is not a point of order. Sit down.
Surely the Chair has not to be guided by the Minister for Local Government.
Deputy MacBride can sling slanders as long as he likes.
It is Deputy Flanagan who is usurping the authority of the Chair, not the Minister for Local Government. The Chair did not hear any remark by the Minister for Local Government and the Chair is not guided by the Minister for Local Government or by any other Minister or any other Deputy.