asked the Taoiseach if he will outline the topics he discussed with President Reagan during his recent visit to the United States.
2.
Questions—Ceisteanna. Oral Answers. - Taoiseach's US Visit.
1.
asked the Taoiseach if, arising from his address to the United States Congress, he will outline the practical ways in which he envisages the United States might be of assistance in implementing any agreement that, as he stated in his address, may emerge from our present efforts.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.
I would refer the Deputy to my statement to the Dáil on Wednesday, 21 March 1984, in which I indicated the topics discussed at my meetings with President Reagan and other American leaders. It would not be appropriate for me to specify the practical ways in which the United States might support any agreement emerging from our present efforts. That is obviously a matter that would arise in the context of events that might follow publication of the Forum Report. I am convinced, however, from the understanding and goodwill which was so evident everywhere in the States that any steps our friends there would take would include continued measures against the flow of money and arms to the men of violence and support for any process devised by the Governments of Britain and Ireland, in conjunction with representatives of both sides of the community in Northern Ireland, to construct a practical solution, leading to peace and stability there.
In relation to Question No. 1, the topics the Taoiseach discussed with President Reagan, I should like to ask the Taoiseach if when discussing the question of disarmament, for instance, he raised the issue of the siting of Cruise and Pershing missiles in Western Europe and if he got any commitment from the President that they would be withdrawn? I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he raised the question of the trial of Fr. Niall O'Brien in the Philippines?
I do not propose to add to what I said on this subject in my statement to the Dáil the other day.
In relation to Question No. 2, I should like to ask the Taoiseach if when he talks about the practical ways the US could help in the process which the Forum has initiated he could give us a commitment at least that the practical ways would not include any form of military involvement by the US or any political commitment which would compromise our neutrality?
The Deputy knows me, and the Government, well enough to know that neither of those would arise.
In view of the fact that President Reagan will be visiting Ireland very soon I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he would not consider it appropriate that the public be made somewhat more aware of the views expressed by the President of the United States in discussions with the Taoiseach so that they would know on what grounds they should welcome him and the benefit he can be in the solution of the Northern Ireland question in particular?
I think the Irish people will welcome him as leader of a country with which we have close ties of friendship and a country from which comes half of the total foreign investment, and the employment that derives from that foreign investment here.
We accept the economic facts of our position but will the Taoiseach not agree that there is considerable concern among the general public in relation to the questions of disarmament and of Central America? The Taoiseach would need to be more forthcoming in explaining precisely what pressure he is exerting on the American administration to change their policies in Central America and also in relation to disarmament. I should like to draw his attention to the point he made in relation to Northern Ireland in the course of his Congress speech when he called for the withdrawal of moral, financial and military support to the Provisionals in Northern Ireland.
We cannot debate matters that are outside the scope of the question.
Did the Taoiseach ask the American administration to withdraw their military, moral and economic support, for instance, to the government of El Salvador that is slaughtering its own people?
I do not propose to add to what I said on that subject in my statement.
Will the Taoiseach agree that all of us in public life and, indeed, private citizens, have ample opportunity in a variety of different ways to convey any feelings we may have about American foreign policy either in this House, at international fora, through the columns of our newspapers or in countless other ways and that it would be entirely inappropriate to avail of a visit by a head of state and head of government of a friendly nation to engage in activities of this sort? Will the Taoiseach agree with me also that this is one occasion on which we should demonstrate to the greatest extent we possibly can the warm and beneficial relations which have always existed between this country and the United States of America?
I agree wholeheartedly with the Deputy and I am grateful to him for his comments.