asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will indicate the period of time this country is to be represented by a chargé d'affaires in London; and if he will state under what circumstances the Irish Ambassador will return.
28.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Diplomatic Mission in London.
27.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs why he did not ask for Britain's Ambassador to be recalled following the Government's recall of the Irish Ambassador in London.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 28 together.
The action taken, of recalling the Ambassador in London, was considered by the Government to be the appropriate step. I am not prepared at this stage to say when and in what circumstances he will return to London.
What about Question No. 28?
Questions Nos. 27 and 28 were taken together.
I answered Questions Nos. 27 and 28 fully.
The Minister made no reference whatsoever to Question No. 28.
If the Deputy will bear with me I will repeat my reply and show him the relevance of my reply to Question No. 28 as well as No. 27.
The action taken, of recalling the Ambassador in London, was considered by the Government to be the appropriate step.
This is precisely relevant to Question No. 28:
I am not prepared at this stage to say when and in what circumstances he will return to London.
The appropriate step considered by the Government to be the appropriate step was taken in regard to the recall from London.
Did they ask for the recall of the British Ambassador?
The Deputy is showing a fundamental lack of knowledge—I will put it on that basis—of basic diplomatic procedures. We have no jurisdiction over the British Ambassador here. He is part of the British jurisdiction as is every embassy official in every country in which a particular embassy official may reside. We have jurisdiction over our own Ambassador in London and we acted in the precise and proper diplomatic manner in dealing with the situation.
Has the Minister ever heard of a country asking another country that they recall their Ambassador? Obviously he has not.
We took the proper step which required to be taken in the circumstances.
The Minister is evading the issue.
I am calling Question No. 29.