Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This individual was arrested on 20 May under the Counter-Terrorism Act while transiting through Gatwick Airport. On 22 May he was charged in connection with terrorist offences committed in 1982. He is being held in HM Prison Belmarsh in south-east London where he has been designated as a category A high security prisoner. The Irish Embassy in London is providing consular support and assistance for the individual and in regular contact with the prison authorities. An official of the embassy visited the individual on 29 May and a further consular visit is due to take place this week.

As the case is now before the courts, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on specific aspects of the case, even if all of the relevant facts were known to me. I would say, however, that from the outset of the peace process, the need for an accommodation with the past has been recognised. The Good Friday Agreement underlined the importance of acknowledging and addressing the suffering of the victims of violence. It also committed both Governments to providing for an accelerated programme for the release of prisoners convicted of scheduled or similar offences.

At Weston Park in 2001, both Governments accepted that it would be a natural development of that programme if prosecutions were not pursued against supporters of organisations on ceasefire against whom there are outstanding prosecutions, and in some cases extradition proceedings, for offences committed before 10 April 1998. The circumstances at issue in this case, therefore, were comprehended in the discussions at Weston Park. In 2005 the British Government introduced a Bill aimed at providing a legislative basis for addressing these cases but this measure did not secure the necessary political support and was withdrawn in 2006. In the past three weeks, I have had two discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and on each occasion I have stressed that the need to find an adequate way of addressing these cases remains as important today as it was in 2001.

The G8 in Fermanagh last week was a showcase for what the peace process has achieved in Northern Ireland but pride in what has been achieved is rightly tempered by the knowledge that significant challenges remain. These can only be addressed through sustained attention and support from the British and Irish Governments as co-guarantors of the process. I believe that ongoing work to give practical effect to the commitments already undertaken must remain central to our efforts. I look forward to meeting again shortly with the Secretary of State to discuss these issues.

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