asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware of allegations outlining the ability of British SIGINT personnel in the British Embassy in Dublin to intercept most of the long distance telecommunications circuits, including Irish Army traffic, in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

: The Deputy has not identified the source of the allegations to which he refers. I presume that he is referring to newspaper articles or other published material for which, of course, I have no responsibility.

I would like, however, to assure the House that appropriate action would be taken if evidence became available that unacceptable activity was being promoted within the jurisdiction by any foreign government.

: Does the Minister believe that any such unacceptable activity is going on at the moment.

: I have no specific information but if I got such information I would take a very serious view of the matter.

: Since the question was tabled did the Minister make endeavours to ascertain whether there is any basis for these reports.

: We did. We followed it up with the Department of Justice. There is no specific or hard information, but this is an area where this often happens. Imprecise stories appear and allegations are made and when we proceed to investigate them hard information is not forthcoming. It happens a lot in this area, for obvious reasons.

: Will the Minister deny categorically that the practice is going on? Is he absolutely certain that it is not or has not been in the recent past, and can he guarantee that our telecommunications system does not allow for such vulnerability? I should like to get clear categorical assurances on both those points.

: I have been assured by the Department of Justice that that is not the case and that there is no way in which it could be the case. I am not saying it is not happening but as far as the Department of Justice can ascertain it is not happening.

: When the Minister is not saying it is not happening he is surely allowing for the possibility that it is. It is a serious issue in regard to which I do not wish to exaggerate the significance, but will the Minister accept it is far from satisfactory for him or any other Minister to say here, "I am not saying it is not happening? It is his job to ensure that it is not happening.

: I assure the Deputy that in so far as we can investigate the matter through the Departments of Justice and Posts and Telegraphs it is not happening.

: If I forward my information to the Minister will he investigate it.

: I would be glad to get such information and I will examine it very carefully.