With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 23, 27 and 43 together.
Ireland has followed the case of the Sharpeville Six with concern and the House will recall the reply the Tánaiste gave to a Private Notice Question on 15 March last.
As soon as the rejection of the Sharpeville Six's applications for a retrial was announced, the Foreign Ministers of the Twelve, including Ireland, considered the situation and issued a statement on 14 June. In it the Twelve expressed their deep distress and concern about the fate of the Sharpeville Six and urged that all legal options available in South Africa be used to prevent the death penalty from being carried out. The Presidency's representative in Pretoria was instructed to make immediate representations on behalf of the Twelve to the South African Government in this matter.
My understanding is that the decision of the judge announced on 13 June can be appealed by the Six in the period up to 19 July to both the Chief Justice of South Africa, and to President Botha. The legal process, therefore, is not yet totally exhausted.
In view of the very serious concern which the Government and the people of Ireland feel about the case of the Sharpeville Six a number of representations were made to the South African authorities, including one with which I was personally associated, seeking clemency for the Six in March when their execution appeared imminent. These were made through the Irish Embassy in London. It remains the earnest hope of the Irish Government that these executions will not take place and it is to be hoped that the legal procedures still available will be used successfully on behalf of the Six.
I will keep the question of making further bilateral representations to the South African authorities under consideration but I am satisfied that the South African Government is well aware of the views not only of Ireland, but of the world, in the matter and that the Twelve approach has reiterated adequately our deep concern. If at any time a further bilateral approach by Ireland would appear possibly useful, the Deputies may rest assured that it will be made.
Policy with regard to South Africa is kept under review. However, the aim of Irish policy is to seek to bring effective pressure to bear on the South African Government peacefully to abandon apartheid. It continues to be the view of the Government that concerted multilateral action is a more effective way of pressurizing Pretoria than any unilateral action Ireland might take.
The African Group at the United Nations brought the matter before the Security Council in March last and would appear likely to do so again. The Security Council has already appealed for clemency to the South African Government in the case, an appeal which we wholeheartedly support.
