asked the Minister for Justice whether a person (name supplied) is now a fully fledged Irish citizen; whether he has in the exercise of his absolute discretion under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act granted a certificate of nationality to this person; and what consideration he gave to objections to such grant based on the nature of a book written by this person.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Granting of Citizenship.
16.
The person concerned was granted a certificate of naturalisation on 14th April.
I have read excerpts from the book —the excerpts to which the Deputy is referring.
It seems to me that the Deputy misunderstands the nature of the book. It is clearly stated in the publisher's note and also in the author's foreword that the book does not profess to be factual but a mixture of fact and fiction. The book is a novel, not a biography.
My only concern in this matter has been to decide whether the writing of this historical novel was a valid ground for refusing citizenship to a man who was otherwise eligible and whose family background for several generations was Irish. I was quite satisfied that I had no valid ground for refusing a certificate.
I must say that I am very disappointed that an Irish Minister or an Irish Government should give Irish nationality to a man who wrote this filth. This book was written by a foreigner——
We cannot have a description of the book at this stage. The Deputy may put a question.
Am I entitled to reply to the Minister when he states that he has given nationality to this man? May I tell him why he should not do so?
The Deputy may put a question to the Minister.
Is the Minister aware—and the Minister is aware— that that man wrote this book? The Minister for Justice is also aware of it. I went to him personally before I asked the question and I discussed it with him and he persisted in giving Irish nationality to this man. I want to go further and say that the relatives of the late General Michael Collins, as far as my information goes, went to the Taoiseach about this.
That is not true.
If it is not true I withdraw it but I have been told that they were to make representations here.
Many of them are very good friends of——
I want to say that if this is the type of smear campaign that is to be carried out in this House by an Irish Minister against the late General Michael Collins it is a crying disgrace and I think many men on the opposite benches would not agree with it.
We cannot have a debate. The Deputy will have to resume his seat.
I am just finishing and I shall not delay the House two minutes. I will say that a smear campaign was carried on by a Member of this House against Arthur Griffith——
The Deputy must deal with the question.
The names of Collins and Griffith will be written in letters of gold when ye will not get a bloody line.
The less we have of Blue Shirt tactics the better.
(Interruptions.)