asked the Taoiseach if he will now publish the reply he has received from President Carter to his letter on the Middle East conflict.

It would not be appropriate to release the text of private correspondence from a head of Government. However, as I said in this House last Wednesday, the terms of President Carter's reply were positive and encouraging.

The President expressed his deep concern about the attacks on UNIFIL and stated specifically:

"I was shocked by the murder in cold blood of two Irish soldiers",

which he further described as "an act of barbarism". The letter recounts US efforts to bring improvement to the situation in Southern Lebanon and to make it possible for UNIFIL to fulfil its mandate. The President agreed with my view of the vital importance of UNIFIL and said he welcomed

"the courageous decision of your Government to maintain Irish participation".

The President's letter also expressed his desire to continue close co-operation with us to resolve the difficult problems facing Southern Lebabon.

The Taoiseach referred to the President's letter as being encouraging. Did the letter encourage the Government to argue for a boycott of the Moscow Olympics?

That is a separate question.

The Olympics were not referred to in the letter.

May I ask the Taoiseach whether the letter indicated that President Carter had taken or would take steps to put pressure on Israel to stop them supplying assistance to Major Haddad?

In general terms he indicated his intention to do everything possible to ensure that UNIFIL would be enabled to fulfil its mandate.

There was no reference to any representations to Israel on the subject?

Obviously that would be part of the efforts which the President would undertake.

But he did not refer to it? It is the Taoiseach's suggestion that it is part of it, but he did not say that?