asked the Minister for External Affairs whether he has received any representations from the British Government on the subject of the restriction of the immigration of British Commonwealth citizens into Ireland with a view to preventing them from entering England through this country; and, if so, if the Government have at present under consideration any legislation limiting immigration into this country.

77.

asked the Minister for External Affairs whether he will consider introducing restrictions on the entry of British citizens into this State equivalent to the proposed restrictions on the entry of Irish citizens into Britain.

I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 76 and 77 together.

In November last in reply to a number of questions I stated that we had been in consultation with the British Government concerning the provisions of the British Immigrants Bill and the question of how the freedom of movement of persons between Ireland and Britain might be preserved. As has now been stated by the British Home Secretary, it is not intended, in practice, to apply to persons coming from Ireland the provisions of the Bill restricting immigration to Britain. Consequently in order to preserve free movement between both countries it will be necessary for us to take steps which would enable us to control entry to Ireland from all countries other than Britain. This matter is under active consideration and we are in touch with the British authorities concerning it.

The question of the necessity for legislation to deal with the matter is also under consideration.

Are we to take it from what the Minister has said that, notwithstanding the statement made by Mr. Butler, the British Home Secretary, some time ago in the British House of Commons, it is not now proposed to introduce any complementary legislation here arising out of the British Bill which at first contemplated a restriction of Irish immigration into Britain?

As we see it at the moment, legislation may not be necessary.

Are we to take it having regard to the Minister's reference to the speech made in England last year, and taking into consideration the programme which appeared on Telefís Éireann during which a member of Stormont indicated that representations had been made and arrangements were being made for such legislation——

I am not responsible for Telefís Éireann, or for what some other person says.

Are we to take it that the person who made these pronouncements was incorrect?

Can we get this clear?

Can we have an answer?

A statement was made in the British House of Commons by the British Home Secretary that legislation would be necessary in this State in order to implement whatever Britain was doing, or as part of that scheme to restrict immigration. Are we now to take it from what the Minister says that legislation will be unnecessary here?

If we want to keep freedom of movement between this country and Britain, legislation may be necessary. That is under examination.

I gather from what the Minister says that the type of legislation would be designed not so much to regulate the flow from Britain to Ireland and from Ireland to Britain, as to control the flow of non-British and non-Irish persons into this country?

Up to the present time there has been free movement of persons between here and Britain, with the exception of the war years—free movement.

Was it not made clear in the British House of Commons that the present provisions of the British Bill would be left as they are on condition that we would take certain consequential action to restrict Ireland being used for back door entry into Britain by British Commonwealth citizens?

I have no knowledge of that statement. We have had consultations with the British Government to see whether, and in what way, we could keep this free movement between Ireland and Britain which everyone recognises is of great advantage to our citizens if they want to go and visit Britain, to our people here generally and to visitors coming in here from Britain.

Has there been any pressure from the British Government to interfere with that freedom of movement?

No.

Not of our citizens, but have there not been requests for restrictions on people who are not our citizens who try to get across from here to England?

There has always been an examination at the ports—at the airports and the seaports—of people coming from countries other than Great Britain.

Has there been a restriction on such people who try to go through this country to Britain?

Through this country— always.

Is it a fact that in the past if an Indian wanted to go to Britain, he has been restricted from passing through Ireland?

I do not know of any such case but there is no use in asking a lot of hypothetical questions.

The Government have been asked by the British Government to clamp down on British citizens from former colonies going through Ireland.

The position is that we have asked the British Government for consultations on this matter. When we saw statements that a system of control was to be introduced between here and Britain, we were anxious to make certain that our people would continue to be facilitated by having free movement from here to Britain, and that people in Britain who wanted to come here would be equally facilitated.

They cannot stop it.

It is well understood that continued emigration of 1,000 people a week is absolutely essential to the success of the Government's economic policy. At the same time, is it not a fact that we are now going to operate a control of emigration policy into Britain from the British Commonwealth, that is, from the West Indies?

Emigration is not at the rate of 1,000 a week.

When we try to get the figures, the Government say they cannot supply exact figures.

Question No. 78.