asked the Taoiseach whether his attention has been drawn to the statement made by the British Home Secretary, Mr. Henry Brooke, at a Press conference in Belfast on 2nd October, in which he said that he was absolutely certain that the Border is here to stay; whether the Taoiseach or the Government repudiated that statement publicly; and, if not, why.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - British Home Secretary's Belfast Statement.
22.
I have seen Press reports of the statement to which the Deputy refers.
As there can be no conceivable doubt in the minds of the British authorities of our rejection of the proposition that the Border is here to stay, I have not deemed it necessary to issue a repudiation of the statement.
The Deputy will be aware that I have frequently reiterated, in the Dáil and elsewhere, that our national policy is constantly directed towards the reunification of the national territory.
The Taoiseach did not think it worth his while to reply to the British Home Secretary on such an important matter.
I did not think it was an important statement. It was a foolish one.
That is all the more reason why the Taoiseach should have replied to it.