asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government have called on the British Government to end internment without trial in Northern Ireland; and, if so, when.
Ceisteanna——Questions. Oral Answers. - Internment Without Trial.
76.
Our concern about this system of detention as it operates in Northern Ireland has been made clear to the British Government. Since 14th March, 1973, this concern has been expressed on ten occasions at meetings between Irish and United Kingdom Ministers.
The Minister said that concern has been expressed but the question was whether the Government have called on the British Government to end internment without trial. It is a different matter.
In the course of these contacts at different periods we have raised the question of the phasing out of internment. As the Deputy will see this question which we raised has not been productive of a result to date.
Have the Government actually asked that internment be ended rather than just raising the question? Have they called for it to be ended even on a phased basis? Can the Minister tell me they have so done on any single occasion?
Yes, on a number of occasions we have pointed out the counter-productive character of internment as it operates in Northern Ireland and have raised the question of the phasing out of internment. I am not saying that we have at any moment said: "You must end it now".
While I gather that the view of the Government on internment has been expressed, I still regrettably cannot take it from the Minister's answer that the Government have ever requested the British Government to end internment either now or at a given date in the future.
As I have said twice before, we have raised with them the desirability of phasing out something which we see as counter-productive.
Would the Government go a step further and ask them, in the first instance, specifically to end it (a) for the reason mentioned by the Minister, that it is now counter-productive obviously and is only giving solace and support to the men of violence and (b) because it is, in all the circumstances of the present condition of Northern Ireland, effectively morally wrong? Would the Minister think that would be too much to ask our Government to do at this time?
I am not sure that statements from one Government to another of what they consider morally wrong carry very much conviction in international relations. The British Government are aware of our views on this subject which has come up for discussion between Ministers on ten occasions since 14th March, 1973.