asked the Taoiseach if he will report to Dáil Éireann on his meeting with the Governor of Oklahoma, Mr. Frank Keating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23687/98]

Governor Frank Keating paid a courtesy call to me on Wednesday, 11 November, in Government Buildings. We had a friendly exchange on a number of issues and I underlined to the Governor the importance of continuing bi-partisan American support for the peace process.

Did the Governor raise the question of his support for capital punishment and other repressive crime reduction measures and did the Taoiseach have anything of substance to say in response?

I discussed this question with the Governor because his views on it are well known. I told him I totally disagreed with capital punishment but he explained his views at some length and his reasons for holding them. He spoke of the tragedy of the bombing in Oklahoma City in which more than 170 people died and of the enormous number of subversive, terrorist or criminal gangs in the area. He strongly takes the view that because these groups knowingly set out to kill people, public opinion in Oklahoma favours severe measures including capital punishment. Needless to say, I debated the matter with him. I asked if statistics show that capital punishment had brought about an improvement in the situation. He did not convince me that executing those convicted of murder did anything to reduce the number of such crimes.

In the meeting with Governor Keating did the Taoiseach raise the question of the United States embargo on trade with Cuba, given the humanitarian implications of that action and the different policy which Ireland has on the matter?

I did not raise that matter.