May I ask the Minister——

I have given a lot of latitude on this question. I will permit the Deputy to intervene but he must be brief.

Is the Minister aware that he is completely misinformed when he is told that I met the Soviet ambassador? I never met the Soviet ambassador. I met a consul. Is the Minister aware that I was informed by that consul in the presence of Lady Wicklow, who is a witness to the events that they did not receive or accept petitions nor did they accept petitions on behalf of any individuals? Is the Minister aware that the humanitarian cause, for which I had asked for a visa to go to the Soviet Union, was signed by 107 Members of this House, 21 Senators, 29 city councillors, headed by the Lord Mayor? Is the Minister aware that Pastor Vins is adopted as a prisoner of conscience by the International Council of Churches——

The Deputy is extending the scope of the question.

——and the International Committee for the Defence of Human Rights? Has the Minister any comment to make on that or have we any concern about this?

The relevant part of that supplementary, if I might put it this way, is Deputy Briscoe's assertion of the refusal to accept the petition. My information is that he handed in the petition and that it was accepted. If Deputy Briscoe has a contrary view of what happened I accept what he said.

Does the Minister accept that we heard him say a few minutes ago that the ambassador received Deputy Briscoe?

The information available to me is that he was received by the ambassador and handed in a petition.

Does the Minister now realise that Deputy Briscoe's information is correct in relation to this and that the Minister's information is incorrect?

I know what Deputy Briscoe said.

Is the Minister aware that we were told on that occasion in 1975 that if we left the petition there it would be put in the wastepaper basket and that I was told if I wanted to take the petition I could take it to Moscow myself? Would the Minister now agree that when I was given that information and applied for a visa on a completely different case to go to Moscow this was declined in a letter to me on May 15th which stated——

Order. I have given the Deputy a lot of latitude. This is going too far. Next question.

This is very important. I would like an answer to that from the Minister.

I note the Deputy's statement.

With your permission I want to raise this matter on the Adjournment.

I will communicate with the Deputy.