Vol. 248 No. 13
andMr. Hogan asked the Minister for External Affairs if his attention has been drawn to a statement by the Chairman of the Irish Emigrants Rights Association to the effect that emigrants in Britain have been completely disowned by the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
15.
asked the Minister for External Affairs whether the Taoiseach has had discussions recently with representatives of an Irish emigrant organisation in Britain; if so, whether he now proposes to take any steps to provide Government assistance for Irish welfare organisations in Great Britain; and, if not, why.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 15 together.
The statement that emigrants in Britain have been completely disowned by the Government is quite untrue.
I understand that, on the 23rd instant, the Taoiseach saw a gentleman who represented himself to be the Chairman of the Irish Emigrants Rights Association in Britain and, on an off-the-record basis, heard his views on the association.
An Advisory Committee on Services for Emigrants which was set up last year by the Minister for Labour is expected to report this year. Government policy on this whole matter will be announced in due course.
So, in actual fact until the Minister sees the committee's report he is admitting that the Government have done nothing for emigrants in Great Britain?
On the contrary. The Embassy in London and the Department of External Affairs keep in close contact with organisations and groups run by Irish citizens in Great Britain for the purpose of looking after Irish citizens living there. A special officer was appointed, as the Deputy knows, to the London Embassy in 1961 and, in 1968, we appointed an officer with the rank of minister plenipotentiary for the purpose of looking after emigrants. For some years we have been operating a scheme to pay the fare back to Ireland of citizens who are in special need of protection. We are seeking ways of doing more, but that is not to say that we have been doing nothing.
That all sounds very well and will read very well, but the fact remains that people in Britain recognise the fact that the Government have treated them with indifference.
The people in Britain might not accept the Deputy as their spokesman here.
Question No. 16.
I do not wish them to do so. I should like the Minister to recognise that these people are talking from experience.
Will Deputy Harte please cease interrupting? He cannot monopolise Question Time.
