§ Q5. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Prime Minister when he proposes to have an official meeting with the Taoiseach.
§ The Prime MinisterI expect to meet the Taoiseach at the next European Heads of Government meeting in Rome on 1st and 2nd December.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonI welcome that reply. Is the Prime Minister aware that my hon. Friend the Member for Abingdon (Mr. Neave) and I will be seeing the Taoiseach in Dublin tomorrow? May we, in so doing, humbly convey from this House an expression of its admiration for the courageous and determined efforts being made in the Irish Republic against the atrocious terrorism which is the common enemy of us all, on both sides of the Irish border and the Irish Sea?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir, and from all I have heard of visits to Northern Ireland by the hon. Members for Abingdon (Mr. Neave) and Epping Forest (Mr. Biggs-Davison), I know that they will 711 show the same sense of responsibility south of the border as they do on their visits north of the border. I believe that their visits have been extremely helpful, and I am sure that this visit will be, too. Certainly, while we are always trying to improve relations, particularly on border matters and such things, we in this House know the great agony that the Taoiseach and his colleagues are going through in this matter. They know, as their police know, that any help that we can give, arising from the parallel problems we face here, we shall give.
§ Mr. McNamaraIs my right hon. Friend aware that when he meets the Taoiseach many people will wish him to congratulate the Taoiseach on the firm attitude he has taken on terrorism in the Republic and also on the particular case which is exciting all our imaginations and anxieties at the moment? Will he remember to inform the Taoiseach that settlement of the Northern Ireland problem is not an issue which exists only within this island or within our country, but that it is a question, also, of a common frontier and the common interest that we have in achieving peace within that island?
§ The Prime MinisterI thank my hon. Friend for the tributes he has paid to the Taoiseach and to the relations which exist and have existed between successive British Governments and the Irish Government during these very difficult times. It certainly is the case, to use the phrase invented by the previous Government, that there is an Irish dimension in these matters. However, the Southern Irish Government have shown great moderation and great responsibility on all questions concerning Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. ChurchillSince the Irish American community is today the principal source of finance for terrorism in Northern Ireland, will the right hon. Gentleman, when he next meets the Taoiseach, please convey to him the thanks of this House and of the British people for the very courageous and stout-hearted stand of successive Ministers of the Dublin Government when they have visited the United States? They have made absolutely clear to the Irish American community where these resources go, and our concern that the 712 political leaders of that community have not thus far had the courage to speak up in similar terms.
§ The Prime MinisterI am grateful to the hon. Member. What he said is right, and justified by what has been said in North America by representatives of the Irish Government. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and I made the point when we met the Foreign Affairs Committee of both Houses of Congress and pressed this issue strongly on them. I know that hon. Members in all parts of the House have pressed this issue in relation to the United States and one or two other places. It is help with money and munitions that is perpetuating terrorism in these islands.