asked the Taoiseach if he has received any response to his request to President Carter to use his influence on the Israeli Government to moderate tensions in the Lebanon, and the terms of any such response.

3.

asked the Taoiseach the response of President Carter to the request for assistance made by the Irish Government in having the United Nations mandate in the Lebanon implemented.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.

I have received a reply from President Carter, the terms of which are positive and encouraging.

Can the Taoiseach give any reason as to why he considers the terms of President Carter's reply positive and encouraging? Can he point to any improvement in the security situation in the Middle East which is directly or indirectly related to his initiative in relation to President Carter?

I wish to give the Deputy more specific information and perhaps I may be able to do so in a day or two if the Deputy would be prepared to wait. In the meantime, I should like to reiterate that the President's reply to me indicates his full understanding of our anxieties and his wish to be of any assistance he could.

Could the Taoiseach say whether the text of his initial letter to President Carter has been published?

Yes.

Would the Taoiseach also consider publishing the reply?

I will consider that, but the Deputy will understand that is not entirely a matter for me.

Does the Taoiseach consider it perfectly appropriate to publish the reply to a letter which itself was published as he sent it out to the Head of State concerned?

I have indicated the position to the Deputy.

Could the Taoiseach tell us the date of the reply?

8 May. No, 6 May.

Has the Taoiseach replied to the letter from the United States President of 20 January?

No.

Does the Taoiseach not think that perhaps such a discourtesy would be unhelpful to us in other matters like this?

There is no question of discourtesy. My own view is that the letter from the President of the United States, which was addressed either to the President of this country or the Taoiseach, did not call for a reply. It was merely a conveyance of views by the President. Since then I have had a number of discussions with the United States Ambassador about the matter.

Was the letter acknowledged?

Yes.

When?

Is the Taoiseach aware that in a discussion on the Lebanon here on 8 May, two days after the reply, the Minister for Foreign Affairs was assuring the House that no reply had been received?

The reply is dated 6 May. There is covering correspondence from the Embassy here dated 8 May. That is why I confused the two dates.