asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's attitude towards the present situation in Biafra in view of the large number of Irish missionaries who are stationed in that country.
8.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Nationals in Biafra.
7.
asked the Minister for External Affairs whether any instructions have been issued to Irish nationals in Biafra to vacate the country as a result of the present war conditions there; and whether his Department have made any assessment of the situation for the benefit of the Irish nationals in the area.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.
The Government recognise the Federal Republic of Nigeria and maintain diplomatic relations with the Federal Government. Recognition as an independent State has not been extended to the eastern region by Ireland or by any other country.
There is a substantial number of Irish citizens, mainly but not exclusively missionaries, scattered throughout all regions of Nigeria. We estimate that there are at present about 250, almost all missionaries, in the east and over 600 in the rest of Nigeria.
My Department has been very concerned about the safety of our citizens in Nigeria and our Embassy in Lagos has given all assistance possible to those of them who wished to leave temporarily or permanently. Before the outbreak of the civil war we sent the secretary of our Embassy in Lagos to the eastern region to keep in touch with all our citizens in the area, to organise evacuation arrangements and assist those who wished to avail themselves of them. He stayed on there for several months for this purpose after hostilities had broken out.
I may add that we have done everything possible to urge the leaders of Nigeria and other African countries to bring about a cease fire and negotiations for a peaceful and stable settlement of this tragic conflict.
Have any instructions been issued to Irish nationals in the breakaway part of the country and have any arrangements been made for their evacuation? Have any requests been received or are any arrangements under way?
I told the Deputy that before the civil war broke out, we had sent the Secretary of our Embassy in Lagos to the eastern region to make contact with our Irish citizens. He spent his time there, before hostilities broke out and afterwards, for several months, keeping contact with them and helping those of them who wanted to come home either because their term of service in Nigeria had ceased or for any other reason.
That was before the outbreak of civil war. Has any contact been maintained with civilians in that part of the country since then?
If the Deputy had listened to the answer to the question, to what I said in reply to his question and his supplementaries, he would know that I said that the Secretary of the Embassy in Lagos stayed there for several months after the war started.
Is there anybody there now?
Question No. 9.