asked the Minister for External Affairs if he has had consultations with the Nigerian Chargé d'Affaires in relation to a television programme on the Nigerian conflict broadcast by Radio Telefís Éireann; if he will state the nature of such consultation; and what action he has taken or proposes to take in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - RTE Feature on Nigeria.
3.
The answer to the first and second parts of the Deputy's question is that the Nigerian Chargé d'Affaires came to see me on 8th instant. He expressed his grave concern at the distorted and misleading presentation of the tragic civil war in the "Seven Days" programme referred to by the Deputy, and in certain articles published in our newspapers.
I referred to the statement issued by my Government on the previous day in answer to inquiries from the press, which, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I shall circulate with the Official Report.
The Chargé d'Affaires informed me that he was sending a tape of the Telefís programme to Lagos and I urged him to request his Minister for External Affairs not to issue the tape to the press or to radio-television, lest it might endanger the good relations between Irish citizens and the people of Nigeria or of other African countries.
The answer to the final part of the question is that I propose to continue doing everything I can to promote a cease-fire and negotiations aimed at establishing stable peace, reconciliation and cooperation between all sections of Nigerians in their mutual interest.
I wish to add that I pointed out to the Chargé d'Affaires that a peaceful and lasting solution of the Nigerian problem and a firm guarantee of the human and political rights of all citizens would set a fine example to the other African peoples who inherited on achieving their independence potential difficulties of a similar nature and to whose social and economic development many Irishmen and women at great personal sacrifice have been and are making a significant contribution.
Following is the statement:
PRESS ENQUIRY
On the 7th February the following questions were put to the Department of External Affairs—
1. What is the official Government policy towards Biafra? and
2. Is there any reason to be concerned about the position of Irish missionaries there.
The following reply was issued through the Government Information Bureau.
1. The Government recognise the Federal Republic of Nigeria and maintain diplomatic relations with the Federal Government. Recognition has not been extended to the Eastern Region of Nigeria as an independent State by Ireland or any other State.
2. The Department of External Affairs has been very anxious about the safety of our citizens in Nigeria since the outbreak of the civil war and the Irish Embassy has given all possible assistance to those of them who wished to leave temporarily or permanently.
Is the Minister using this prompted question to make another vicious attack on the personnel of "Seven Days"?
This question is "prompted", but all the questions from that side of the House are divinely inspired.
It is prompted, and the purpose is to make another attack on the personnel of "Seven Days", which is most uncalled for.
I would ask Deputy Donegan: is he officially on behalf of Fine Gael by this supplementary question attempting to justify a one-sided account of the civil war in Nigeria in relation to the situation in Africa?
I am not speaking for anybody but myself, but on behalf of the Fine Gael Party, I now want to say, a Cheann Comhairle, that the Minister for External Affairs, in the first part of his reply, did use this prompted question to make another attack on the personnel of the "Seven Days" programme.
I want to repudiate that this is a prompted question. This question was put down by Deputy Cluskey and Deputy Mullen and they withdrew it yesterday evening, and when Deputy Brady heard about it he put it down. Has he not the right to put it down?
And you had the answer ready. Is it correct for the Minister to state matters relating to the General Office of the Dáil? I have no information as to what the people in the General Office knew. Has the Minister more information than I have?
The Minister got the question from Deputy Mullen and Deputy Cluskey. They withdrew it and Deputy Brady wanted it answered.
It is a vicious attack on the personnel of "Seven Days".
The Deputy walked into that badly.
Is it a vicious attack to answer a question that was asked?
How you answer it is what matters.
Does the Minister not agree that it was most prudent of Deputy Cluskey and Deputy Mullen not to provide him with a platform to attack "Seven Days"?
Hear, hear.
It was very prudent indeed.
There will be no free press in this country if you have your way.
The Minister should have left well enough alone. You had to get Deputy Brady to put the question and it has now rebounded on your own head. You were too clever.
I congratulate the Deputies on their prudence.
Maureen Potter said that you were living not in the past but in New York.