asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposals, if any, to establish guidelines for semi-State organisations operating commercially overseas in order that such commercial activities would be deemed to be in accordance with the Government's foreign policy.

My Department advise semi-State bodies as appropriate in relation to their activities in developing countries. Where considerations bearing on Ireland's international obligations, such as the imposition of sanctions by the United Nations Security Council, exist, these are brought to the attention of semi-State agencies.

The Deputy will be aware that semi-State bodies vary widely in their constitution, character and activities. Many are companies whose boards of management have varying degrees of autonomy in regard to their operations.

The Deputy will also appreciate that the development needs of other countries may seem to them to impose different priorities at different stages of their development. Therefore, in our endeavours to promote human rights and to make progress towards a common standard we must show patience and understanding of the situation of the developing countries and not seek to impose our views on them. The Deputy will be aware of my public statements in this context in connection with the renegotiation of the Lomé Convention and of the sensitivities of the developing countries on this issue. Accordingly, it would in my view be difficult to formulate guidelines which would be applicable to all the activities of semi-State bodies, and in all the circumstances in which they operate, in developing countries.

I am grateful for the Minister's reply, but would I be right in thinking that in effect the answer to my question is "No"; that for other than a country that is subject to a UN sanction the Government do not propose now or in the future to take out any form of guidelines for the semi-State sector operating commercially in the rest of the world? Is that a fair interpretation of the Minister's reply?

The Government of which I am a member are following on principles established by our predecessors in other Governments, so there is no change there. I said it would be difficult. If it appears, having regard to the limited sort of knowledge that we would have about the whole range of developing countries, that we could make subjective judgments which would be helpful guidelines, we could consider it. The Deputy would do well to consider, before he makes a firm issue of this, the fact that if we are going to put up guidelines related in any way to human rights we will have to apply those guidelines consistently even against the opposition of, for instance, the APC countries.

Is it a fact that on a number of occasions informal requests—of an imprecise nature because of the definition of the word "informal"—have been made by some semi-State companies with regard to certain activities? Have some of these companies, including the national airline, sought some kind of clarification about their role overseas? Would the Minister agree that some indication vis-à-vis, for example, the participation of Aer Lingus in Iran would be useful from a Government to which the Minister——

Aer Lingus and other semi-State organisations are involved through DEVCO with our development co-operation programme. Any queries or requests they would have would have to be raised at that level. Certainly they have not sought any formal guidelines from me. Secondly, I might mention to the Deputy that it is possible that the new advisory development council might want to consider this matter where DEVCO will also be represented. If so, I will listen to their views.

Does the Minister therefore consider that semi-State companies, owned by the people of this country, operating commercially abroad can be considered to be amoral and apolitical in the field——

I said no such thing.

Well the Minister's lack of action——

The role and activities of our semi-State companies abroad in relation to development co-operation has been something about which we can feel very proud. Any other implication is very damaging to what they are doing in the interests of the developing countries where they operate.

Arising out of the Minister's reply——

Question No. 14.

The Minister made a suggestion——

Order. Question No. 14.

The Minister made a suggestion——

I have called Question No. 14.