Deputy Charles J. Haughey and other Deputies of the Fianna Fáil Party have been given permission to put a Question on Private Notice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will Deputy Haughey please read the question?
Private Notice Question. - Closure of Cross-Border Roads.
I wish to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he will make urgent representations to the British authorities to prevent any further closures of cross-Border roads and to clear the three roads on the County Fermanagh border that were blocked yesterday.
The policy of this, as of successive Irish Governments, is that the closure of cross-Border roads is counter-productive, both politically and in terms of security. The British have been made fully aware of this policy by this Government. We have been given an assurance by the British authorities that no further closures will take place without consultation with me.
I want to make it very clear that our objections primarily reflect the Government's determination to oppose the use of violence resolutely and a conviction, based on experience, that the closure of cross-Border roads is unhelpful precisely in that sense. In relation to the three closures that took place in recent days, I am informed by my colleague, the Minister for Justice, that the standing instructions issued by Garda headquarters to local officers — instructions which have been in operation for several years past — are to the effect that any inquiries or other communications received by them from the RUC concerning proposals to crater or close cross-Border roads should be referred to Garda Headquarters for reply. Those instructions he has fixed not only because such proposals obviously raise issues that go beyond security considerations in the narrow sense, but because even within the ambit of security on any interpretation of that term the implications are liable to be more than merely local.
Unfortunately, on this occasion those instructions were not observed and in response to an approach from the RUC before the recent closures took place, a member of the local Garda Síochána dealt with the matter without reference to headquarters and conveyed the view that there was no objection to the particular proposal from a local Garda standpoint. I would like, on behalf of the Minister for Justice, to make it clear that not only was that reply unauthorised but that the view as expressed was in conflict with the view of the Garda authorities.
First of all, in relation the Minister's statement, with which I fully agree, that actions of this sort are totally counter-productive and serve only to alienate law-abiding people on both sides of the border, is that argument now accepted by the British authorities? Secondly, it is clear from his reply that no consultation took place at official or ministerial level in regard to the action taken and does he regard that as satisfactory, in view of all that has been said about the normalisation, harmonisation and so forth of Anglo-Irish relations? Have I heard correctly that members of the Garda Síochána in that local area indicated to the RUC that there was no objection to the closure of these roads?
In answer to the Deputy's first supplementary question as to whether I consider this action to be counter-productive, I do. There was no consultation at ministerial level.
I asked had that view been accepted by the British Government.
I am sorry, Deputy. I should hope so. This is a point of view in which we strongly believe — that the closure of these roads does not in any way help the security situation in its broadest sense. I would hope that that view is now accepted by the British Government and it has certainly been put to them very forcibly.
But the Minister received no positive statement that it is accepted?
No, I have not, but I have put the view very strongly to them and would hope that they do accept it, that action of that sort is of no value. This view has been put by a number of my predecessors, both in this party and in the Opposition. The Deputy is correct in saying that the decision was made locally that there was no objection taken to this by a local member of the Garda Síochána. What was the Deputy's third supplementary question, please?
Apart from the local Garda communication——
There was no Ministerial communication.
First of all, can I take it that this further evidence of lack of co-ordination in the operation of security measures by the Garda Síochána will be fully investigated and appropriate action taken in regard to this? May I also take it that a full explanation will be given in due course to this House as to how this further evidence of incompetency at a certain level of the Garda Síochána came about? Can I take it that the Minister at this stage can only tell me that he hopes the argument of all of us about the counter-productivity of these measures is accepted by the British Government? Can he give us some indication of how this sort of thing can happen, in view of all that he has said about Anglo-Irish relations and without some consultation at or near Ministerial level? Can we have some assurance from him, in so far as security is very much a double-edged effort — that there must be security on both sides of the Border — that he will make it clear to the British authorities that action of this kind, which has major security implications, will not in future be undertaken without full consultation at ministerial level and approval by both parties concerned — namely ourselves and the British authorities in view of our major contribution to cross-Border security?
The Deputy has asked a number of supplementary questions and I hope that I can remember all of them. With regard to what action is to be taken with reference to the breach of clear Government guidelines in regard to these matters, that is a matter for another Minister. I suggest that the Deputy should put down questions to the Minister for Justice.
Have a real, a genuine inquiry.
As to whether my views expressed with regard to the closure of cross-Border roads was taken seriously, I can only repeat what I said, that these were put in the strongest possible terms, not alone by this Government but by previous Governments, that we can see absolutely no merit, from the broadest security point of view, in the closure of cross-Border roads. In fact, we would argue that the reverse is the case.
On the other point raised by the Deputy, I said in my original reply that I have received a guarantee from the British Government that no further closure would take place without consultation with me.
Finally, could I ask the Minister to insist that his argument and that of all of us about the unsuitability and counter-productivity of this type of action be accepted by the British authorities, that he receive assurances from the British authorities that they accept our position in that regard? Furthermore, will the Minister insist that the roads which have been closed will be cleared, in view of our position in the matter?
I can only repeat that I have put and will continue to put in the strongest terms our objection to this type of action. Of course, I can give no guarantee, as the Deputy will understand, that my objections will be taken fully into account by the other authorities involved. With regard to the second part of the supplementary question, I have taken up that matter with the British authorities and I will do so again.
Will the Minister accept, in view of a series of events of which this latest piece of stupidity is only the culmination, that there is need for the Government here to review completely Anglo-Irish relations in regard to Northern Ireland and their position in regard to security and other matters in Northern Ireland?
That is a broad question to answer. The Deputy is a member of the Forum. It is part of the process of the review of Anglo-Irish relations. The best hope for all parties in this House and the nationalist tradition throughout this island lies in the Forum.
I am not talking about the long-term work of the Forum. I am talking about the day-to-day conduct of relations between the Irish Government and the British Government in regard to Northern Ireland. We have had two provocative and insensitive visits, we have had statements by Mr. Prior and now we have this latest piece of crass stupidity. Do not all of these add up to a picture which demands a serious advance by this Government to the British Government in regard to the whole situation?
The Deputy can take it that the Government constantly review their relationship with the British Government in relation to Northern Ireland and they do this on a day-to-day basis. If we consider anything damages that relationship or is not conducive to the management of affairs in regard to the North of Ireland the matter is conveyed to the British Government at very frequent intervals.
Did the Minister convery to the British Government that there is no evidence to suggest that violence in the Fermanagh area originated in the part of Monaghan that adjoins where these road blocks have been erected? Is he aware, and are the British Government aware as they should be, that practically 100 per cent of the prison population in the Six Counties are from that area and that there is no evidence of violence originating in that area of Monaghan? Did the Minister make the British Government aware that this will have a devastating effect on Clones which is one town in Ireland that has suffered more than any other town in the Thirty-two Counties because of Partition and because of the silly boundary around the town where three-quarters of the hinterland is at present in another State?
We conveyed to the British Government the view that the closure of these Border roads has a most serious and damaging effect on the economies of a number of towns on both sides of the Border.
This happens on the day following an announcement by the Economic and Social Council of the EEC. In their document they recommended more positive cross-Border co-operation. In their report they spoke about grant aid for machinery rings for farmers on each side of the Border to co-operate on a cross-Border basis. They recommended that Ballyhaise and Loughry agricultural colleges be the natural focal points for the development of the pig and poultry industries——
The Deputy may not deal with the report in depth.
This is in my area. They also recommend pilot farms on a six- to ten-year contract basis on a cross-Border basis to consider the questions of dairying, beef and sheep production.
It is because I agree fully with the Deputy that we have been objecting to this kind of closure.
In view of the general agreement that the closing of roads is counter-productive, will the Minister once more make representations for the opening of roads, specifically that at Aghalane Bridge?
I have already told Deputy Haughey I will do that.
I wish to raise two points for clarification. The Minister said there was no Ministerial contact. Can he confirm there was no Departmental or Governmental contact of any kind? Secondly, what success does he hope to have with regard to the reopening of the roads closed recently? There have been on-going representations in the past ten years regarding the reopening of roads along the County Leitrim border.
With regard to the three roads in question, I have said the only contact was at local level. We will approach the British Government with regard to these three roads but we have consistently approached them about the reopening of other roads along the Border. As has been repeated in this House, politically, socially and economically they are not justified in closing the roads.
Will the Minister confirm that there was no contact at Departmental or Governmental level?
The only indication was at local Garda level.
Will the Minister assure the House that the obviously close working relationship between the Garda and the RUC in relation to security matters along the Border will be re-examined immediatley to ensure that what has happened in this case will not happen again?
I would consider in the normal sense of security that the closest co-operation that is possible between the RUC and the Garda is desirable.
Will the Minister say——
I am sorry, I will not allow any further questions on this matter. I have been very reasonable about this. I am moving to the next business and I am calling Deputy O'Leary.
On a point of order, I should like to take this opportunity to congratulate Deputy Haughey on his major success in Libya on behalf of the country.
That is not a point of order.
It proves conclusively that one should never send a boy on a man's errand.