asked the Taoiseach the Government's policy in regard to seeking a declaration of intent from the British Government to withdraw from Ireland.

The Programme for Government 1981-1986 indicates that the Government will continue to strive to unite the people of this island. It also indicates that in seeking to do this on the basis of reconciliation and consent, the Government will seek the full support of the British Government who have a crucial role. In the Government's view that role should be played in a positive manner by indicating publicly what so many British political leaders say in private, that they wish to see the unity of the people of Ireland and that they will support everything that promotes the achievement of that objective with the consent of the people of Northern Ireland. I want to stress that in the Government's view it is also vitally necessary to eradicate the suspicions, fears and misunderstandings that divide the major traditions within Ireland. We are pledged to do everything possible to that end.

In order to remove the suspicion on the part of the minority in the Six Counties, will the Taoiseach give serious consideration to the positive request that Britain make such a declaration and cease to make the declaration that she will stay there as long as the majority contrive, as was once the case?

I have stated our position clearly. The British declaration was made at the time of Sunningdale and is part of the joint declarations on which the British Government based their support for Irish unity achieved by agreement. That is the position which we would hope the British Government would be willing to return to and assert as they did at that time. Beyond that I have nothing to add to my reply.