Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 6, inclusive, together .

At the outset I wish to say my deepest sympathies, and I am sure the sympathies of the entire House, go to the mother and family of PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr who was callously murdered last Saturday. I, along with all the political leaders on these islands, totally condemn this act which runs completely contrary to the expressed will of the people. We will do our utmost to ensure the continuing success of the peace process and will give every support to the Garda Síochána to continue to work closely with the PSNI to tackle this threat. I will make a statement to the House on the matter later today.

With regard to the questions posed, the Government is firmly committed to infrastructure projects which will be of benefit to the island of Ireland. Infrastructure projects which have been particularly successful include Project Kelvin, the Dublin-Belfast Road and the significant level of co-operation under way to promote innovation to underpin economic growth and create employment, including increased co-operation in securing research funding under the EU Seventh Framework Programme, FP7.

We are also very supportive of all-island co-operation in the energy area. The single electricity market has been operating effectively for over three years and work is under way on a second North-South electricity interconnector. Following the acquisition of Northern Ireland Electricity by the ESB, the energy markets in both jurisdictions are more closely linked than ever. Work on the common arrangements for gas is progressing as are joint actions in the area of renewable energy.

The Government is also supportive of the A5, North West Gateway to Aughnacloy, and A8, Belfast to Larne, road projects. The completion of these roads will make a major contribution to the economy of the North and the north west and will have benefits for the whole of the island. As I said to the Northern First and Deputy First Ministers when I last met them during my recent visit to Washington, I am open to looking at more cost effective ways of delivering this project to a high quality.

There were suggestions recently that this Government lacked commitment to the development of a radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin. The Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, wrote immediately in response to Michael McGimpsey confirming our commitment to the development of a satellite radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin Hospital. It is the strong view of the Government that this provides the optimum solution to the provision of patient centred services in the Donegal area.

Let me assure the House that the Government and its Ministers with direct responsibility for the North-South bodies will continue to support fully the agencies involved and will engage constructively with their Northern ministerial counterparts to enhance and develop North-South co-operation.

The Government is fully committed to the implementation of the Good Friday and St. Andrews Agreements. As the House is aware, under the St. Andrews Agreement, it was agreed that the Northern Ireland Executive and Irish Government, under the auspices of the North-South Ministerial Council, NSMC, would appoint a review group to examine objectively, first, the efficiency and value for money of existing implementation bodies and, second, the case for additional bodies and areas of co-operation within the NSMC where mutual benefit would be derived.

I understand the consultation with relevant Ministers in both jurisdictions on all aspects of the St. Andrews Agreement Review is now nearing completion and that the St. Andrews Review Group will prepare a report for consideration by the North-South Ministerial Council at its next plenary session which will take place in June. It is hoped the process will be brought to a conclusion at that stage.

I also hope to see progress on the establishment of the North-South Consultative Forum. Proposals have been made to the Northern Ireland Executive on the role, format, membership and operation of the forum but no response to these has yet been received.

In the meantime, three consultative conferences were facilitated in Farmleigh by the previous Government involving social partners and other groups from civil society from across the island.

The establishment of the North-South Parliamentary Forum is another outstanding commitment under the St. Andrews Agreement that I would like to see progressed. Having attended the North-South Parliamentary Forum in Newcastle last October, I can see there is great potential for parliamentarians North and South to work together on issues of mutual interest. While the establishment of the North-South Parliamentary Forum is a matter for agreement between the Oireachtas and the Assembly, I hope we will see progress on this after the Assembly elections in May and I have written to the Ceann Comhairle to this effect.

Ministers with line responsibility for all of these issues will continue to work on these matters and officials have been asked to progress them in advance of the plenary session in June.

I also look forward to making progress on all of these issues in conjunction with a newly elected Northern Ireland Executive which will take office after the Assembly elections in May.

On the issue of 50-50 recruitment to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs has written to the Northern Ireland Secretary of State underlining the view of the Government that the transformation of policing is a central pillar of all that has to be achieved in the peace process. It has also been indicated to the Secretary of State that if for any reason there is any slippage or failure to make steady progress towards a fully representative force, corrective measures would have to be taken, including consideration of the re-introduction of 50-50 type provisions. We will continue to raise this with the British Government as opportunities arise.

I spoke to Prime Minister Cameron yesterday following the killing of PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr. I expect to travel to London in the relatively near future to meet with him following his invitation when I expect that, among other matters, we will discuss the general situation in Northern Ireland, including the economic challenges faced on all parts of this island.

Both Governments are aware of the need for economic growth as a stabilising factor in the peace process. I know the Secretary of State has recently launched a consultation paper on the Northern economy entitled "Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy" which sets out the major challenges facing the Northern economy. It is in all our interests to have a peaceful and prosperous Northern Ireland with benefits for the whole island as a consequence.

See this speech in context