asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if an official invitation has been issued to the President of Israel to visit this country; if the invitation has been accepted; if so when the visit will take place; and the impact he considers such a visit would have on our relations with other Middle Eastern countries.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers - Visit of Israeli President.
12.
The Government took a decision earlier this year, following normal procedure, on a number of visits at Head of State level to and from this country, including an invitation to the President of Israel to visit Ireland during 1985.
The invitation was officially conveyed some time ago and has been accepted. The programme for the visit remains to be settled in detail, but it is expected that President Herzog will come to Ireland towards the middle of 1985.
The invitation to President Herzog to visit Ireland should be seen in the light of many links with this country. In so far as there are any implications beyond the strictly bilateral, the invitation should be viewed in the context of the Government's balanced policy on the problem of the Middle East. Relations are maintained all round and there have been many visits at official level to and from the Middle East in recent years.
The Minister, I am sure, would accept that the Israeli position in the Middle East is not an innocent one and, for that reason, the other Middle Eastern countries may view the Irish Government as taking a particular position on the conflict in the Middle East by inviting the President of Israel here? Would the Minister accept that?
I am not prepared to categorise the Israeli position in the Middle East and it would be inappropriate for me to do so. I do not think it is inappropriate for us to invite the President of Israel to visit our country. He is of Irish birth and it is particularly appropriate that we should invite him because of the distinguished position he holds in Israel and perhaps, in an odd way, he is representative of the Irish diaspora, so he could be here in a dual capacity. I think it is entirely appropriate that he would come. I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting him last Sunday and he is looking forward to his visit back to the land of his birth.
Hear, hear.