Minister for External Affairs Patrick Hillery speaks to the media after a visit to the Falls Road in Belfast.
Dr Patrick Hillery made a surprise visit to Belfast following a request from the Taoiseach Mr Jack Lynch. He described the visit as a secret one and said he did not meet with representatives of the British or Stormont governments.
He asked me to visit Northern Ireland and to visit the Falls Road.
Speaking at a press conference at Iveagh House in Dublin, Dr. Patrick Hillery said that the purpose of his visit was to relax tension. He travelled north by car and although some people in the Falls Road area recognised him, he did not identify himself. While there, he witnessed the consequences of the weekend of riots and spoke to people in the area.
Ahead of the Orange Order parades next weekend, Dr. Patrick Hillery was asked by the Taoiseach to make sure that every possible diplomatic initiative is taken to stop the parades, which he described as provocative. He has called on all ambassadors with influence to do what they can to prevent the parades from going ahead.
Dr. Patrick Hillery said that the people of the area had a sudden and unwarranted visit from the British army. The people of the Falls Road he met, do not regard the British army as their protectors.
On the subject of reunification, he said,
We have taken every action to show that we would not force a reunification.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 6 July 1970.
