1.
GV EXT Post Office building in Dublin and crowd outside
0.10

2.
SV Crowd applaud
0.14

3.
GV Speaker talks from steps
0.45

4.
GV Housing estate
0.48

5.
SV Irish Republican Army leader McSteven seated
0.51

6.
CU IRA leader interviewed.
1.52

7.
SV Sign "Welcome to Northern Ireland" at border
1.55

8.
SV Troops on guard and searching cars
2.02


TRANSCRIPT: (SEQ. 3): SPEAKER: "The politicians talk and talk and talk, but they are doing nothing. The only organisation that is giving leadership in this crisis is the republican government. The republican movement is the only organisation that is giving leadership in this crisis. I call on you people to give your support, to rally behind the banner, to rally behind the flag."



(SEQ. 6): INTERVIEWER: "At a recent Press conference is Belfast, Mr. McSteven, it was revealed that the IRA had practically run out of resources, was nearing a desperate situation. Was this an appeal by the IRA to the Government of the South for support?"



McSTEVEN: "Well first of all our spokesman in Belfast did not say that the IRA had run out of resources. He said if the ammunition ran out in Belfast our people there would be faced with a desperate situation, and this is true. If the British army, by sheer weight of overwhelming force, broke down the defence system in the Nationalist areas of Belfast, and the armed Orange bigots ere allowed, as we believe they would be allowed, to attack the then defenceless Nationalist areas, we would see slaughter in this country on an unprecedented scale, and our spokesman was appealing directly, not to the Dublin Government, he was appealing to the Irish people for support."




Initials BB/0026 GL/AS/BB/0050



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: As Northern Ireland counted the cost of a week's violence and bloodshed following the introduction of internment by the Northern Ireland Government, spokesmen for the Republican Movement commented on the situation from the safety of Dublin, the Eire capital. Meanwhile, troops at the border searched northbound vehicles.

One speaker was cheered as he spoke from the steps of Dublin Post office in O'Connell Street, shrine of Irish nationalism.

An official of the Irish Republican Army, identified as Mr. McSteven, answered questions on the Press conference given earlier by the militant "Provisional" wing of the IRA in Belfast.

His comments reflect the republican belief that the British army peacekeeping force in Northern Ireland is committed to the support of the Protestant majority and the suppression of the Catholic minority.