asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement regarding his recent meeting with Mr. Heath.

2.

asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the outcome of his recent discussions with Mr. Heath.

3.

asked the Taoiseach if, during his recent discussion with Mr. Heath, any suggestions were made to him that he and other members of the Government should meet Mr. Faulkner and other Unionists to discuss matters of common interest.

4.

asked the Taoiseach if he received any intimation of the contents of and the proposals to be embodied in the forthcoming British White Paper on the future of Northern Ireland during the course of his recent visit to Britain.

5.

asked the Taoiseach if he will indicate generally the nature of the discussions with the British Prime Minister on Friday, 24th November, 1972; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

6.

asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his meeting with the British Prime Minister on Friday, 24th November, 1972; and if the discussions covered a wide range of topics such as EEC, the Green Paper on the North and the border plebiscite.

7.

asked the Taoiseach if he held discussions with other political leaders in Westminster during his recent visit to Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

8.

asked the Taoiseach whether he is aware of the worsening position of the minority in Belfast, particularly in the east of the city; and if he will indicate the action he is taking in the matter.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 8 together.

As I have said before in regard to meetings with the British Prime Minister, it would not be in accordance with practice to reveal details of such discussions as their value depends largely on their confidential nature.

Mr. Heath and I had a wide-ranging discussion on the situation in Northern Ireland including the British Government's Green Paper, the proposed plebiscite on the border, and the disturbing reports which I have been receiving about recent experiences of the Northern minority in certain areas. I conveyed the Government's views on these and other related matters, and suggested how political progress might be made in the months ahead.

Our talks also covered EEC matters. There was no opportunity for discussions with other political leaders in Westminster during this London visit.

Has any further arrangement been made for a meeting prior to the publication of the White Paper?

No arrangements have been made.

Was Mr. Heath sympathetic to the views of the Taoiseach on the plebiscite or was the Taoiseach persuasive enough on the point, which is the most important of all?

"Persuasive enough" is a very relative term. I can assure the Deputy that I put forward my views, the views shared by most people in the House quite forcibly.

Is there any indication as to whether the plebiscite will take place before or after the publication of the White Paper?

I was given no such indication.

Is there any indication as to whether before publication of the White Paper, discussions will take place between the Government here and the British Government on the actual arrangements for both consultation and the establishment of the Council of Ireland?

I think it is inevitable that if the Council of Ireland would be established there should be discussions and consultation preferably prior to the publication of the White Paper. It would be important certainly that such discussions would take place.

It is a considerable length of time since the Taoiseach first spoke about the matter of a plebiscite or a referendum on this side of the Border on the same subject and at the same time as that in the 6-counties area. Can the Taoiseach now say if the Government have finally decided whether or not they are going to have a plebiscite or referendum on this side of the Border?

No, we have not. That position is being kept under review and a decision will be taken in the light of circumstances then obtaining.