asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of the accommodation and staff that will be provided for the embassy in Moscow.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Moscow Embassy.
11.
While details have not yet been finalised, it is anticipated that the accommodation in Moscow will consist of an ambassador's residence and chancery combined in a detached building on its own site and a number of apartments for embassy staff in a serviced apartment block. The accommodation will be leased from the USSR authorities.
The question of the appropriate level of staffing for the embassy is still under consideration. It is likely that there will be a diplomatic staff of three—ambassador, first secretary and third secretary—plus support staff.
With reference to the Minister's reply and in pursuance of a supplementary question I asked when this matter was first mooted, has the Minister taken any steps to see that the personnel of the embassy in Moscow will be suitably equipped from the linguistic point of view?
That is very much in our minds. I hope this will be possible for all the staff—certainly for the majority.
Is the Minister aware that officers in the foreign service in Britain have been learning Russian for a greater number of years than this country? Would he agree to use the same facilities?
The whole question of competence in languages that are not generally taught here at the moment needs to be considered. It is not only Russian. It will be necessary for us to make special provision in advance for officers who are going to serve in countries such as the USSR or the Arab countries, teaching facilities for whose languages are not readily available here. It is a matter about which I am concerned.
Can the Minister state if it is intended to have, possibly in the capacity of a Press attaché, a representative of the Skibbereen Eagle?
Let us not be facetious.
I do not think the establishment would permit that.
Can the Minister state whether the staff in the Russian embassy in Dublin will be of the same number as the staff in Moscow?
That is a quite separate question, of which I would need notice.
Why should they need more than us?
I did not say they did.
The Minister should know at this stage. He should know how many we need.
I have said this is a totally separate question.
Deputy MacSharry asked my question. Can the Minister state if any of the Russian staff here will have any special status?
That is a separate question.
The Minister refused us an opportunity to discuss this matter when I raised it before. I want to use this opportunity to get some information.
The Deputy is entitled to put down a question.
I put down a question but the Minister would not meet me on it.
In view of the inevitability of the bugging devices which will be placed in our embassy, is it not more important that they should be able to speak Irish than that they should be able to speak Russian?
Anyone who thinks that no Russian speaks Irish underestimates the Soviet Union.
Is the Minister aware that a Russian class was set up some time ago under the guidance of the present Minister for Posts and Telegraphs? Are those civil servants still available to him?
One is not.
Would you believe two?