asked the Taoiseach if he stated in the course of a press conference at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York, on Monday, 12 March 1984 that he would favour a "larger quota" for Irish immigrants seeking employment in the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Immigration to US.
1.
The Taoiseach said during the course of Parliamentary Questions in the House on 29 May last that he did not recall using that phraseology.
This matter is primarily my responsibility in my capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs and I will be replying to the other question tabled by the Deputy on the subject, which is No. 371 on today's Order Paper.
It is a bit of a nonsense to have me standing up here answering questions for the Taoiseach and saying I will answer another one as Minister for Foreign Affairs later on. I have the answer to that here, but there may be some objections from the House to my taking it now. Other Deputies may want to ask supplementaries and I do not know what to do in this situation.
We will agree to allow the Minister to reply to the question if it is in order. All my colleagues are in agreement with me.
The Deputy might think of asking a supplementary and I would not refuse him.
May I answer No. 371 as well? That is what I am asking, a Cheann Comhairle.
It is a shame for the Chair to suggest to me that I should ask a supplementary.
Question No. 371 is directed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. He is now answering for the Taoiseach.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs is becoming very unorthodox.
Uimhir 2.
If the Minister is not being granted his request, can he indicate to the House whether any talks have taken place between the Government here and the authorities in the United States regarding the question of Irish immigrants being granted visas to enter that country and take up employment there?
The Irish Government have had no discussions with the United States Government to that end.
None whatsoever?
None whatsoever.
That is grand. That clears the air. I am surprised that the Taoiseach does not recall the interview he gave in New York on the date mentioned in the question, as it was reported in some of the Irish-American newspapers. I am surprised that the Minister's Department have not been able to brief the Taoiseach on the report which was contained in one of those Irish-American newspapers.
I know we are not permitted to quote during Question Time, but on 29 May when the Taoiseach was answering Deputy Molloy said he would supply the quotation to the Taoiseach. We have not been able to trace the report in my Department, or in the Taoiseach's Department, or in the Irish consulate in New York. Deputy Molloy says he has seen it. He offered to supply the Taoiseach with the appropriate press cutting, and I do not think he has done so yet.
Unfortunately I threw it away. I did not realise that the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs would not have it within their capacity to review the Irish-American newspapers published in New York around that date and after that date.
We do review all those newspapers. We must have missed that one Deputy Molloy is anxious about. Unfortunately he threw away the cutting he had. If he can get another copy for the files we would be very glad to have it.
I do not think it is worth the bother. It was reported that the Taoiseach said that. If he has forgotten it, fair enough. I am more interested in whether there was any truth in what he was saying and whether discussions were taking place. The Minister has confirmed that no discussions have taken place in regard to increasing the number of immigrant visas. That settles the matter.
If Deputy Molloy got another copy we would be grateful to have it for the file. We are anxious to keep the files up to date.