asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will agree to the opening of an Israeli Embassy in Dublin.

As I indicated in my reply to Deputy Shatter on the same question on 20 July, the question of the opening by Israel of an embassy in Ireland is a matter for discussion between the two Governments concerned and it would be inappropriate and contrary to international practice to speculate publicly on these discussions.

Would the Taoiseach accept that when the leader of the PLO, Yasser Arafat, met the Minister for Foreign Affaris last week he indicated that he intended opening an office with full diplomatic status in Dublin and went so far as to appoint somebody to be "ambassador" in that office? Would the Taoiseach agree that should the Minister agree to the opening of that office there would be an entirely unbalanced position if the Israeli Government were not allowed to open an office with full diplomatic status in Dublin?

I will be dealing with a question on the PLO situation later. At the moment we should talk about the question of an Israeli Embassy on its own within its own parameters.

I do not think we can do that.

If there is a question down in respect of the Palestinian matter it must not be anticipated now.

If the Taoiseach agrees that a PLO office should be opened would he also not agree that the Israelis should be allowed open an embassy here?

As I said, I do not think it would be very appropriate for us to discuss the question of the opening or otherwise of an Israeli embassy because, as the Deputy knows from his own experience as a former Foreign Minister, that is normally a matter——

Question No. 7 deals specifically with that matter.

——which should be conducted by the two Governments and concluded before any announcement is made.

Can we deal with Question No. 4 before time runs out.

That would be fine if this question never erupted in the public press during the last ten years.

Question No. 4, please.

I will have to admit that that is the background.