asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will make a statement in regard to the refusal to allow the Irish ambassador to see Irish missionaries and nuns detained in Port Harcourt; and if there have been any developments in this matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Detention of Irish Missionaries.
42.
I am satisfied that the interests of the missionaries and nuns to whom the Deputy refers would be better served at this juncture by quiet diplomacy rather than by public statements.
Would the Minister be kind enough to tell the House what form this quiet diplomacy is taking?
Quiet diplomacy will be far more effective than supplementaries asked by Deputy Esmonde.
Has our ambassador been able to get in touch with Irish nationals or missionaries who are under trial in Port Harcourt or in prison?
Our ambassador has been constantly at work on this problem and the pre-eminent concern of the Irish Government is in relation to the 600 missionaries, nuns, priests and brothers, who are working freely in other parts of Nigeria.
That is not the question I asked. I asked the Minister if our ambassador had been able to get in touch with any of the Irish nationals or missionaries who are in jail or on trial in Nigeria, and the answer he gave me bears no relation whatsoever to that.
The Irish ambassador is in very close touch with the whole situation and I am fairly hopeful that his efforts will be successful.
In respect of the point about quiet diplomacy, has the Irish ambassador or any member of the embassy staff been able to visit the former war zone in eastern Nigeria?
Very close contacts are being maintained between the Irish ambassador and everybody concerned about the people who are detained and, as I say, I am hopeful these efforts will be successful in the very near future.