§ 72. Sir D. Savoryasked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether his attention has been drawn to the recruitment of persons in Eire to join the Irish Republican Army 152W for the purpose of hostilities against Northern Ireland; and whether, in these circumstances, he will make a protest to the Eireann Government and ask that Government whether, in the interests of the good relations which should exist between the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic, they will take all necessary steps to prevent their country being openly used as a base for hostile operations against the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Dodds-ParkerIncidents such as the recent raid on the Barracks at Omagh cannot fail to have a deplorable effect in the United Kingdom. My noble Friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations took the opportunity of a visit to London last week by the Irish Republican Minister for External Affairs to tell him of the serious view which Her Majesty's Government take of these incursions across the Border and of the prejudicial effect which they are bound to have on relations between our two countries.
My noble Friend impressed upon him the grave harm which would be done if there were to be any repetition of such incidents. I might perhaps draw the attention of the hon. Member to the debate in the Dail, which followed the attack at Omagh, in the course of which the use of violence was most strongly reprobated by the Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic and no less strongly condemned by the Leader of the Opposition.