Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 27 Nov 1969

Vol. 242 No. 13

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Greek Government.

37.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for External Affairs if he is aware of the serious public concern caused by the announcement by the official Athens newsagency that the present Greek Government believes that Ireland would not vote to expel Greece from the Council of Europe; whether the Greek Government is justified in its belief; and if, having regard to the recently announced intention of the Greek Government not to restore parliamentary democracy in that country, he will now make it clear that Ireland disapproves of the present Government in Greece and its practices.

38.

Mr. Corish

asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the Government's view on the proposed expulsion of Greece from the Council of Europe.

Dr. Hillery

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 38 together. As I already stated in my reply to a question in the Dáil on 8th July last, Ireland supported the resolution unanimously adopted on 6th May, 1969, by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe which shared the anxiety of the Consultative Assembly over the situation in Greece and reaffirmed the need for a speedy return to a democratic regime in that country. I have seen the press report to which the Deputy refers. As to the question of suspension of Greece from the Council of Europe, the Government will decide what action to take in the light of the various proposals which will be considered at the meeting of the Committee of Ministers on 12th December.

Dr. FitzGerald

Would the Minister say whether that means the Government will decide this before they send him or some other representative to that meeting, or will it be decided at the meeting?

Dr. Hillery

We have just received the report of the Commission on Human Rights, and it is being studied. I will make up my mind on what we should do and suggest a course of action to the Government, but I do not believe we should decide this until we are actually voting.

Dr. FitzGerald

Then this House will have no opportunity of considering what attitude the Government will take on our behalf until after it has happened?

Dr. Hillery

In a situation in which a number of governments are voting, you do not always say in advance what you are going to do. I think the Deputy will accept that.

Dr. FitzGerald

The Deputy might accept that you do not state what you are going to do in international negotiations; in fact you never do so.

Dr. Hillery

You would not indicate your vote in advance.

Dr. FitzGerald

I am not clear why we should not indicate our vote in advance as other countries have done. Surely it is important that we should be satisfied that the vote to be cast is one that represents the views of this Dáil on the subject? Should the Dáil not have an opportunity of considering this before the Government takes up a position?

Dr. Hillery

This is not the way our Parliament has worked. The Government have to take certain decisions. This is a particular case where I think it is essential that other people voting will not know how we are voting until we decide to vote.

Mr. Ryan

As Ireland is now one of the principal promoters of a new draft recommendation calling for non-discrimination in relation to the exercise of a number of fundamental rights, would the Minister not consider it most important that at this stage there should be no doubt in anybody's mind as to Ireland's attitude in relation to the behaviour of a Government which are, on many grounds, committing breaches of the fundamental conditions of membership of the Council of Europe, in particular, without any question of a dispute, in regard to parliamentary representation? One does not have to await the outcome of the report of the Commission on Human Rights to deal with the question of parliamentary non-representation.

Dr. Hillery

I think the Deputy will agree that the attitude of the Government to the regime in Greece is known. I have referred to an earlier question to indicate our attitude. What I am saying to the House now is that I do not intend to indicate how we are going to vote until the time comes.

Dr. Cruise-O'Brien

Arising out of the Minister's last reply——

An Ceann Comhairle

Question No. 39.

Dr. Cruise-O'Brien

I am sorry, a Cheann Comhairle, but I have not been very abundant in supplementary questions——

An Ceann Comhairle

We have 133 Questions on the Order Paper and other Deputies might like a reply to their questions.

Dr. Cruise-O'Brien

This is a very important question and I am sure the Minister will not object to a further brief supplementary.

Mr. Haughey

The only Member of this House who ever served a dictator for money——

Dr. Cruise-O'Brien

I thank the Minister. We shall return to his affairs later on, but this is External Affairs.

Mr. Haughey

I would not accept the Deputy as a judge of either public or private morality.

Dr. Cruise-O'Brien

I would not hope the Minister would. May we resume the discussion of this question or is the Minister to go on?

Dr. FitzGerald

Or are we talking about affairs in Dublin north-east?

Dr. Cruise-O'Brien

I wanted to ask the Minister a question not about his attitude to the regime—we all know the attitude to the regime must be critical —but the attitude to this non-democratic regime continuing to be represented in the Council of Europe. Is the Minister against that in principle or is he in favour of it in principle?

Dr. Hillery

What I have been trying to tell the House is that, for reasons of which the Deputy is probably aware from his former experience, I would prefer not to indicate at this stage how we will vote in that situation.

Dr. Cruise-O'Brien

Will the Minister give an indication, in principle, where he stands?

Dr. Hillery

An indication in principle would again be giving away our intention.

An Ceann Comhairle

Question No. 39.

Dr. FitzGerald

Would the Minister be able to say when an opportunity will be given to discuss this matter so that the House may indicate its wishes?

An Ceann Comhairle

We cannot discuss it on this occasion. I have called the next question.