asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has considered the implications of Mr. Roy Mason's repudiation of the Taoiseach's figures on the incidence of the Republic being used as a base for Provisional IRA activity in the North; and if he has sought any explanation from the British authorities for misinforming the Taoiseach if this is the case.

Under a procedure instituted in 1975, the British authorities furnish to my Department on a weekly basis a list of terrorist incidents which, they allege, have their origin within or a connection with the Republic. Figures are not compiled attributing responsibility for incidents to specific organisations. In the course of 1977, 28 incidents were alleged by the British authorities to have a connection with the Republic. This is 1.06 per cent of the total number of terrorist-type incidents in Northern Ireland during 1977, as published by the British authorities.

I have not received from the British authorities any evidence which would justify putting any other construction on their statistics than that less than 2 per cent of the violence in the North has a direct connection with the Border.

In view of the fact that Roy Mason's allegations in the House of Commons would lead to an undermining of the Taoiseach's integrity internationally—the suggestion that he might be deliberately misleading the public on this question—has any withdrawal been made, or has Roy Mason been asked to make a withdrawal or a correction of his statement in the House of Commons?

I am glad to assure the Deputy in the first instance that there has been no question of the Taoiseach's integrity being undermined internationally or even here. I appreciate the Deputy's concern. I can assure him that this and matters related to it are the subject of constant consultation between the appropriate authorities at ministerial level and will again be the subject of such consultations.

In view of the recent very large arms dump found in Donegal is it not a fact that the southern authorities as well as the British authorities are misinformed on the amount of Provo activity there is on this side of the Border?

No. One of our concerns was that our very success would be turned against us. I am not suggesting that the implication in the Deputy's question is such. This again is a case of the vigilance and effectiveness of our security forces. It is fair to say that their record stands up very favourably in comparison with the record of any other security forces on any side of the Border. When we apprehend any particular criminals or any sources of arms this should not be used as an implication that in fact we are less than successful in dealing with it. It is the very opposite.