IRA: Funds from United States (Hansard, 5 December 1984)

§ Lord Grimond
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, President Reagan shares our total opposition to terrorist violence of every kind. We have for many years enjoyed close and fruitful co-operation with the United States Administration in the fight to deny financial and other forms of support to those organisations engaged in terrorism in Northern Ireland. This co-operation has been intensified since the outrage at Brighton.

§ Lord Grimond
My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Baroness for that Answer, but could she be a little more specific as to whether she has, since the American presidential election, definitely protested to the Americans about the flow of funds to murderers? I am perfectly certain that further steps could be taken to stop this and that any such steps would be most welcome not only in this country but to most people in Southern Ireland as well.

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, I understand the concern of the noble Lord. I confirm to him that there is the closest co-operation between ourselves and the American Government. As these are matters of security I am sure that the noble Lord will understand that it would not be right for me to go into detail.

§ Viscount Hanworth
My Lords, is the noble Baroness satisfied that our public relations from our embassy and elsewhere with the Americans as a whole are satisfactory? If so, does the noble Baroness understand that most of us consider they are not?

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, I regret that the noble Viscount should take that view about our public 1315 relations from our Washington embassy. A great deal of trouble is taken to put the case fairly as to what is happening in Northern Ireland. I should like to confirm also that the United States Administration has repeatedly appealed to Americans to refrain from giving financial or other forms of support to those organisations engaged in terrorism.

§ Lord Fitt
My Lords, does the Minister accept that the main organisation which contributes funds to the IRA is the Irish-American organisation known as NORAID and that that organisation has stated quite clearly—as we saw on our television screens earlier this year and which has been accepted by the FBI in America—that anyone who contributes to NORAID does so in the full and certain knowledge that their money will be used to buy arms for the commission of murder in Northern Ireland? Is the noble Baroness further aware that NORAID and its supporters no longer hide behind the pretence that their money is being used for welfare purposes in Northern Ireland?
I recognise that we are in no position to dictate their laws to the American population, but if it has been agreed by senior spokesmen for the Federal Bureau of Investigation that those who contribute do so in the full knowledge that their money is to be used for the purchase of arms, would it not be in the interests of this country to make forceful representations to the American Government that some way or other, and in view of the knowledge we now have, it should be a criminal offence in the United States of America to make any contribution whatever to the organisation known as NORAID?

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, I can well understand the very real concern of the noble Lord, Lord Fitt, on this matter. I can confirm to him that those NORAID officials found to be breaking the law—for example, by gun running—have been prosecuted and many have been convicted. NORAID officers have also been prosecuted in connection with non-compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act. I confirm to the noble Lord that President Reagan has made perfectly clear his opposition to political violence in Northern Ireland. In a radio broadcast on St. Patrick's day this year he urged, and I quote, all Americans not to give support of any kind to the terrorist IRA elements in Northern Ireland".

§ Baroness Ewart-Biggs
My Lords, does the Minister nevertheless not agree that some of the Americans who send funds to Ireland are ignorant of the situation in Ireland and think that they are sending funds to widows and children? Therefore, will the Minister give a commitment that any of the cuts envisaged for the Foreign Office will not fall on the strength of the British information services in the United States who do their very best to educate the American public as to what is going on in Ireland?

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, it may well be, as the noble Baroness said, that some of the contributors to NORAID are unaware of its real activities. I think it very important that this point should be brought home to them. I can confirm that very great efforts are made by our ambassador and his staff in Washington, and 1316 indeed by Ministers and others visiting the United States, to bring home to people the true facts about Northern Ireland.

§ Lord Galpern
My Lords, can the Minister confirm a recent newpaper report to the effect that the IRA contributed £400,000 to the PLO?

§ Baroness Young.
My Lords, I think that is rather wide of the Question.