asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason a submission made to his Department in February last by the Campaign for the Separation of Church and State for onward transmission to the Anglo-Irish Secretariat, was not passed on as requested by the campaign; if he will ensure that the submission is now passed on; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Campaign for Separation of Church and State.
34.
The submission from the Campaign to Separate Church and State, headed "Submission to Ministers and Secretariat of the Anglo-Irish Agreement" was received by post in the Department of Foreign Affairs on 22 February 1988. It did not contain any explicit request for action or for onward transmission and it was not accompanied by any covering note or letter.
The document as submitted has been available to the Tánaiste in his capacity as Joint Chairman of the Anglo-Irish Conference as well as to officials of his Department. Since it referred to issues in relation to health and education, copies have also been sent by the Department of Foreign Affairs, to the Departments of Health and Education, respectively, for their information.
In accordance with article 3 of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, the purpose of the Secretariat established by the two Governments is "to service the Conference on a continuing basis in the discharge of its functions as set out in this Agreement". The Secretariat does not have a role or status independent of this; and it is for the Government and particularly for the Tánaiste in his capacity as co-chairman, to consider questions of policy in relation to issues which arise, or which may be raised, under the Agreement.