asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state what recent steps, if any, he has taken to have the obstruction on the Omeath-Newry road removed by the Six-County Government.

In recent months, and indeed ever since the spiking of the Omeath-Newry road and other roads along the Border, I have taken every step open to me to emphasise to the British authorities the inconvenience, and in some cases, as in the case of the Omeath-Newry road, the very grave hardship caused to the people on both sides of the Border by these blocks. The Deputy may rest assured that I shall continue to press for their removal.

Can the Minister give the nature of any reply he has received as a result of representations on his part?

Unfortunately, the reply is not that the blocks would be removed at once, as we would all want them to be.