asked the Minister for Labour if he will state the following details of his recent visit to the United States: (a) the purpose of his visit, (b) the meetings held by him while there and the purpose of such meetings and (c) whether the cost of the trip was met by the Irish Exchequer or by the ILO.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Minister's US Visit.
2.
The purpose of my visit was to indicate to the US Government our point of view that US withdrawal from the ILO would severely weaken the effectiveness of that organisation. Previous to the visit the Director General of the ILO had asked member states to make representations to Washington in an effort to convince the US of the difficulties that would be caused by their withdrawal. To give an idea of the extent of the difficulties, I might mention that the US contributes 25 per cent of the ILO budget.
It would be contrary to the consistent policy of support for the ILO pursued by all Irish Governments over the years if we failed to make an effort to prevent the breaking up of the ILO that would follow implementation of the US threat.
While in the US I met the US Secretary for Labour and senior officials of his Department. I also met Mr. George Meany, President of the AFL/CIO, a body which nominates the employees' representatives of the US delegation to the ILO Conference. I also had an informal meeting with the heads and senior officials of Irish semi-State bodies in the US.
The cost of the visit was met by the Exchequer.
I should like to know what other Ministers of State visited the US on a similar mission? I should like to know the name of the Secretary of State met by him on that occasion?
I do not have a complete list of those who visited the US from the EEC countries to make such representations but I am aware that my colleague, the German Minister for Labour, Herr Walter Arendt, made similar representations in Washington. The American Secretary of Labour was Mr. Dunlop.
I should like to know if the German Minister visited the US or did he make his representations by correspondence? Did any other country send a representative?
I do not have the complete list but I can assure the Deputy that the German Minister for Labour visited the US on a mission similar to mine.
Is it true to say that the Secretary of State for Labour our Minister met resigned the day after their meeting?
Our Minister cannot be blamed for that resignation.
I should like to know if the Minister believes that his visit, because of the resignation of the Secretary of State for Labour, was worthwhile? Would he agree that the ILO should have borne the cost of the visit rather than our Exchequer?
We are not responsible for or able to say when resignations in the US Government will occur. At the time the arrangements for my visit were completed there was no likelihood that this would occur. I should like to assure the Deputy that the Secretary of State for Labour was accompanied by senior officials. The representations made will be conveyed through that Department on a continuous basis. In fact, President Ford made it clear subsequently that he is dispatching to each of the EEC countries the American Ambassador to Yugoslavia who will convey the present US approach to their membership of the ILO. We will have continuing discussions with that ambassador when he comes here. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and myself will meet him and impress upon him the anxiety of the Government that the US should continue membership of the ILO, to the effectiveness of which this Government pay a great deal of serious attention.
Has the Minister any indication of the result of his visit?
It is a serious and very complicated problem. Secretary of State Kissinger's note to the Director General of the ILO makes it clear that the US will give a period before they carry out the implementation of their intention mentioned in the letter of withdrawal from the ILO. The Irish Government are anxious, like other countries in Europe, to ensure that the United States are not forced to carry out that threat. We are awaiting the visit of their Yugoslavian Ambassador who was charged by President Ford with this mission of speaking to their friends in Europe in an effort to ensure that the International Labour Organisation in their general policy did not depart too much from what the Americans would like to see included in the policy of that organisation. The Kissinger note, the threat of withdrawal, was related to the seating of the PLO at the last ILO conference. It is a very complicated question. If the Deputy wants any further information on this whole question I will be happy to provide him with it.
Is the Minister in a position to say what the outcome has been or does he think it will be a fruitful mission? What means have the United States used to convey their representations? Have the Americans paid their subscription to the ILO?
The Americans have paid their subscription. The effect of their withdrawal would be that this would cease. In effect it would change overnight the whole composition of the ILO. It is possible that, at the coming meeting of the Economic Ministers of the OECD in March in Paris, this will again be discussed by member states of the Community. It is not alone in our interests but in the interests of members of the Community states in general that the United States should not withdraw from the ILO. The purpose of my visit was to add Ireland's voice to the general European request that they should remain within the organisation.
Arising out of the Minister's reply——
The Chair has allowed a series of questions.
In view of our economic situation, would the Minister not consider that it would have been advisable to have made a written submission and allowed our Ambassador in America to make a verbal contribution on this question? His junket to America would therefore have been unnecessary.
I will treat that silly intervention with the contempt it deserves.
Question No. 3.
Surely it was possible for the Minister to make a written submission and for our Ambassador to make a verbal submission. It is a tourist we have, not a Minister for Labour.