asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state what steps are being taken by the Government to controvert a false statement which appeared in an English Sunday newspaper to the effect that auctions of slave-labour are being held in County Galway and similar false statements which appear in English publications.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - English Newspaper's Report on Hiring Fair.
I have received from the Department of Justice a Garda report on the statements made in the article to which the Deputy refers. From this report it is clear that the newspaper article is not only a fantastic exaggeration of what took place at the hiring fair in Galway this year, but that it contains many falsehoods.
As the Deputy is aware, it is a convenience for those who want employment whether industrial or agricultural to meet those who want to employ them. It is a custom in some parts of the country for men who want agricultural work for a season to meet farmers, who are looking for help, in certain towns on certain dates. There is no truth whatever that the men seeking employment in Galway "demonstrated their strength by lifting barrels, bending nails or raising carts off the road." There were no women looking for employment. There were no "rich farmers who went so far as to feel the muscles of the poor boys and girls," and, of course, no auction of any kind took place.
An appropriate letter has been written to the editor of the English paper concerned regarding this "beautiful story out of the West" as these falsehoods are described in the article.
The Deputy will appreciate, however, that the only way effectively to stop the writing and publication of this type of article is for readers to stop buying the paper concerned. So long as there is a ready market for this kind of material, writers will be hired by a greedy newspaper proprietor provided they are prepared to demonstrate to his satisfaction their ability to distort the truth and their weakness for the lurid lie about Irish life.
I agree fully with all that the Minister said in connection with this matter, but would it not be possible for the Minister to prevent the sale of such slush as that amongst our people?
No, there is no authority.
It is an awful pity that there is not.
The most effective authority is in the hands of the people themselves and it is they who will have to use it.
Will the Minister say if the letter to the paper was published by the paper or any apology made?
It is only on its way.
In other words, the Minister is not going to take any steps to prevent insults of this nature.
The most effective method is in the hands of the readers themselves.