asked the Taoiseach the Government's policy in relation to the withdrawal of British troops from (a) the whole of Northern Ireland and (b) parts of Northern Ireland; and the steps he considers should be taken to provide an acceptable law enforcement agency to replace the British Army in each case.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - British Troops in North.
3.
It is Government policy to advocate the immediate withdrawal of British troops from Derry and some other areas in the North where there is a high concentration of Catholic homes. So far as the complete withdrawal of British troops from the North is concerned, this would be dependent on progress towards Irish unity by agreement.
Future policing in the North is a matter for negotiation between the political leadership of the two communities there as part of their negotiation of new structures of administration for the North.
Could the Taoiseach indicate what he would consider to be an acceptable law enforcement agency to replace the British Army in the areas of the North from which he advocates their immediate withdrawal?
I am not going to make suggestions. I hope there will be worthwhile initiatives.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that he has made the suggestion with regard to the withdrawal of the British troops ——
I did, yes.
——from parts of Northern Ireland and that he should follow that up in conscience?
I have followed it up, not only in conscience but in conversation.
Could the Taoiseach tell the House how he followed it up?
Question No. 4.
I have been asking for a supplementary question on this and I have not asked one before. Would the Taoiseach say, in the event of immediate—I take it when he says "immediate" he means immediate— withdrawal of these forces from certain areas, how would law and order and the security of citizens, in fact, be ensured in present conditions in these areas? He must have an answer to that. Otherwise, he could not have called for immediate withdrawal.
I believe that the presence and activities of British troops in certain areas are regarded as a provocation by the minority population in these areas.
That is not an answer.
I am assured that if these troops did withdraw, life would go on in a normal way and there would not be this provocation and certainly not the kind of effects of that provocation that we have seen.
The tarring and feathering.