asked the Minister for External Affairs why it was decided that he should bring home the Great Mace and Civic Sword of Galway, instead of the Mayor of that city who was sent to New York specifically for that purpose.
26.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Galway Civic Sword and Great Mace.
25.
asked the Minister for External Affairs why the Civic Sword and Great Mace of Galway are being brought back to Ireland by him instead of by the Mayor and County Manager of Galway who were sent to the U.S.A. by the citizens of Galway to bring it home.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions No. 25 and No. 26 together.
The Hearst Corporation expressed the desire that the Minister for External Affairs, during his presence in New York for purposes of the Fifteenth Session of the United Nations General Assembly, should accept on behalf of the people of Ireland, and of the people of Galway in particular, the Great Mace and Civic Sword of Galway. The Minister agreed to do so. The Hearst Corporation thereupon invited the Mayor of Galway to attend the presentation ceremony. This took place on Thursday, 27th October. It was agreed with the Mayor of Galway and the county manager that the Mace and Sword would be brought to Ireland by the Minister for External Affairs and formally presented, after his return, to the city of Galway.
I am sure I speak for all members of the House in recording our sense of gratitude for the very generous gesture of the Hearst Corporation in returning to this country, and to the city of their origin, the Great Mace and Civic Sword of Galway.
I should like to be associated with the Taoiseach in expressing appreciation of the gesture of the Hearst Corporation, but I should like the Taoiseach to tell us why, when a Fianna Fáil Mayor was in office on 28th March, 1960, he was invited to come over and accept the Sword and Mace. Why at that time did not some Minister step into the "bearna baol"?
I think I should tell the Deputy that the Galway county manager has sent to me a copy of a letter which he addressed to the Deputy on the 8th of November. Therefore I am fully aware the Deputy is completely informed on all the circumstances.
According to the record of the proceedings in New York, Mrs. Hearst, on behalf of the Hearst Corporation, presented the Mace and Sword to the Mayor of Galway.
No.
Why then did the Minister for External Affairs take the Mace and Sword off the Mayor of Galway and refuse to let the man bring them home, as he obviously believed he was going to do, thus putting him to the embarrassment and annoyance of cancelling the arrangements made in Galway to receive him as the bearer of the Sword and Mace?
The letter addressed by the Hearst Corporation to the Minister for External Affairs contains the following paragraph:
It is my great pleasure to invite you as Minister for External Affairs of Ireland to receive the Mace and Sword on behalf of the City of Galway, at a ceremony to be held in New York or Washington, D.C., towards the end of October next. It is our information that you will be in New York at that time, attending sessions of the United Nations.
The letter addressed to the Mayor of Galway contains the following:
The presentation, it is hoped, will take place in New York or Washington later this month. For your information, His Excellency, Frank Aiken, T.D., Minister for External Affairs of Ireland, has graciously accepted our invitation to accept the Mace and Sword on behalf of the people of Ireland and Galway in particular.
Has the Taoiseach's attention been drawn to the words employed by Mrs. Hearst on behalf of the Foundation as reported in the New York Journal American of Friday, 28th October, 1960: “I now formally, on behalf of the Hearst Foundation, present these historic heirlooms to you, Mr. Lord Mayor, with our best wishes for the happiness and prosperity of the city and citizens of Galway”? In those circumstances, would it not have been a graceful thing to allow the Lord Mayor to bring home the heirlooms which had been presented to him by Mrs. Hearst for the citizens of Galway?
I think it is undesirable that there should be any petty squabbling about this. The arrangements for the bringing back of these articles to Galway were agreed in New York with the Minister for External Affairs, the Mayor of Galway and the county manager.
What has the county manager to do with it?
After all the speeches that have been made surely you will allow me, sir, to ask a question?
The question has been sufficiently answered.
Is not the whole reason for this merely to provide a little propaganda for Fianna Fáil in Galway? It does not matter a damn about the old Sword and Mace one way or another.
(Interruptions.)
I can tell the Taoiseach that the Minister for External Affairs gave a bit of a kick in the teeth to the representatives of Galway and when he indulges in those tactics he will get them back.
May I ask the Minister——
Question No. 27.
Perhaps in order to avoid any misunderstanding I should say that I am informed through the county manager who was present in New York at this ceremony that it was arranged that the Mace and Sword should be sent back with the Minister for External Affairs for presentation to the Corporation of Galway by the President of Ireland or by the Taoiseach. In this matter nothing was done without the concurrence of His Worship, the Mayor of Galway, who acted on the advice of the county manager.
Does the Taoiseach know that it has cost Galway Corporation £300?
Will the Taoiseach agree with the letter of the 28th March in this House?
(Interruptions.)
Order.
Why was there not an export licence given for the Sword and Mace?
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 27.