asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a declaration on behalf of the Republic that, because of the increasingly repressive and discriminatory nature of South Africa's minority government against the majority of black Africans, he would wish all cultural, sporting and other forms of tacit support for the South African regime to be discontinued as an indication of this nation's belief in the rights of peoples of all nations to self determination.

The Government are deeply concerned at the evidence of increasing repression in South Africa. As stated in the Dáil on 2nd November, following the recent repressive measures a protest was made to the South African Government on behalf of the nine countries of the European Community. I outlined the views of the Government and our condemnation of apartheid in the course of my address to the General Assembly of the United Nations on 5th October last.

As regards cultural and recreational contacts with South Africa, I should first place on record that Ireland has no cultural agreement with South Africa and that we have no official contacts with South Africa in this field.

In relation to sporting contacts, Irish national sporting organisations have been directly informed, in accordance with UN recommendations, of the Government's firm attachment to the Olympic principle of non-discrimination in sport.

While in my view it is for those directly concerned in cultural and recreational activities to make their own decisions in matters of this kind, I would strongly urge organisations and individuals concerned in arriving at their decisions to give due weight to the statements of the present Government and of their predecessors deploring the policy of apartheid; in particular, I would hope that they would decline to participate in events which are of their nature organised on a discriminatory basis.