§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government will consider the recoupment to the British taxpayer of the cost of the damage done in the United Kingdom by cross-border raids into Northern Ireland by the Irish Republican Army by taking a claim for compensation against the Government of the Republic of Eire to the International Court of Justice.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleAlthough the United Kingdom has accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, the Irish Republic has not. Accordingly, irrespective of whether a claim for compensation of this nature would be justified under international law, the International Court of Justice would have jurisdiction over such a claim only if the Irish Republic agreed to accept the jurisdiction of the Court for this purpose.
§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations have been made to the Government of the Republic of Eire concerning the activities of Irish Republican Army gunmen from across the frontier into Northern Ireland; and if he will list the incidents concerned and the replies given by the Eire Government.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleSince the current troubles in Northern Ireland began, we have spoken to the Irish Government about cross-border terrorist activity on a 421W very large number of occasions, whenever the circumstances have so warranted. Although certain measures have been taken by the authorities in the Republic, much more clearly needs to be done. The Irish Government have been left in no doubt of our views on that score.
§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he proposes to adopt to step up the Government's information campaign to explain to the world the effects of Irish Republican Army terrorism in Northern Ireland, particularly in the light of the case taken against the United Kingdom by the Government of Eire at the European Court of Human Rights.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleI am satisfied that the flow of material to diplomatic posts abroad designed to enable them to ensure that Press and information media in other countries are fully aware of the brutality of the Irish Republican Army's terrorist campaign is adequate. I am informed that the ruling of the European Human Rights Commission on the admissibility of the Irish Republic's applications against Her Majesty's Government received virtually no publicity outside the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic. Should this situation change I shall consider whether steps should be taken to draw the attention of public opinion overseas to the contrast between the Irish Republic's accusations against Her Majesty's Government and their own failure to deal effectively with terrorists seeking refuge in, and mounting attacks from, their territory.