Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the current situation in Northern Ireland and on the recent work that has been undertaken by the Government and, in particular, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in seeking a successful resolution to the talks chaired by Dr. Richard Haass. It is with a sense of regret that I point out that almost 20 years since the IRA and loyalist ceasefires, 15 years since the Good Friday Agreement and seven years since the restoration of the Assembly and Executive in 2007, over the past 18 months, negative events in Northern Ireland have come back on the political agenda. Whether it is ongoing paramilitary activity by dissident groups, protests over flags and parades and related disturbances, dealing with the legacy of the past through books and television programmes on collusion, the publication of the Smithwick tribunal report or the ongoing search for the disappeared, matters relating to tension in Northern Ireland have been to the fore.

Regarding the latter issue, I, along with several colleagues in the parliamentary Labour Party, Deputies Nash, Wall and Dowds, travelled to Belfast last November, where we were privileged and humbled to meet with the relatives of the disappeared. Their courage and dignity in their ongoing search for the remains of their loved ones who were abducted and murdered by the IRA during the Troubles stands in contrast to the callous cowardice of their killers, as well as the embarrassing denials by the leadership of Sinn Féin that they had any hand, act or part in these events. We also told the families that the Labour Party would be proud to facilitate the bringing of their simple and moving exhibition on the disappeared, which we visited in Belfast City Hall, to public spaces and civic centres across Ireland so that people do not forget one of the saddest outstanding legacies of the Troubles. I am glad to inform the House that their exhibition will open in Drogheda next Monday, facilitated by my colleague, Deputy Nash, where it will be on display for a number of weeks. Family members of those whose remains have not yet been found will be in attendance. I have requested the Lord Mayor of Dublin to facilitate this exhibition in the capital.

With regard to the Smithwick report, I want to place on record my support for the apology given to the Breen and Buchanan families by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade last December. It was not easy for those of us who abhorred the violence of the IRA during the years of the Troubles to hear that agencies of this State were culpable in the murder of the two RUC men. In particular, it was a difficult day for an Garda Síochána. I commend the manner in which the Garda Commissioner acknowledged the report's findings on publication. However, it was important the Government took a leadership role in fulfilling the commitments it gave to have an open, honest and transparent investigation into the murders of the two men. Following publication of the report, it was fully appropriate for the Tánaiste to offer the apology that he gave. The type of courage he displayed in doing so must be replicated by others. In this I include paramilitaries from either side, as well as the British Government regarding activities by the British State and its agencies during the Troubles. The Government has led; others must now follow. It was significant that both the Breen and Buchanan families welcomed the Tánaiste’s apology with great dignity. For too long, the needs of the victims of the Troubles have come second to the understandable need to keep the political process on track.

One of the positives to be taken from the Haass process, however, is the significant progress made on dealing with the outstanding legacy of the past. The final Haass document is 40 pages long; dealing with the past takes up 50% of that. There was considerable agreement among the political parties on this section. I welcome this development and urge the two Governments to safeguard the extensive agreement that was reached. There are some in Northern Ireland who would like simply to wish the past away or draw a line under some of its horrific events. It is possible to do so. If we are to have a fully reconciled society in Northern Ireland, however, then we have to deal with the past.

I pay tribute to those political parties, in particular the SDLP, which have over recent years argued that the needs of victims and their families have to be dealt with. This is supported by the Labour Party and we continue to support the efforts of groups seeking the truth. A Labour Party delegation met with the Ballymurphy families in Belfast last November. We welcome the support that was given to them by the Taoiseach on behalf of the Government last week. Similarly, the Labour Party continues to support the call for an independent inquiry into the death of Pat Finucane and encourages the Tánaiste to continue to raise this with his British counterpart at every opportunity.

In saying this, I pay tribute to the Tánaiste for the work he has put into seeking agreement in Northern Ireland over recent months. While in recent years the Irish and British Governments largely gave the political parties in the North the time and space to sort out local issues under devolution, in response to recent events there has been a clear need for the two Governments to reassert their roles as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement. I know the Tánaiste devoted significant time to the Haass process - largely behind the scenes - as well as undertaking frequent visits to Belfast, Derry and Armagh. While it is regrettable that these efforts did not lead to agreement at the end of the talks process, I urge him to continue his efforts over the coming months. In particular, the effort the Government has put into the process over recent times should be reciprocated on the British side. Intergovernmental co-operation remains an important element of the process. I know that the Tánaiste has developed a positive working relationship with the UK’s Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. There may be a need for increased activity by the two Governments over the next several weeks and months to keep the process moving. I urge all parties in this House to give their support to the two Governments in this regard.

Traditionally there has been a large amount of consensus among the main political parties in Dáil Éireann on the political process in Northern Ireland. It has been an unspoken rule that we do not play party politics with the peace process. Regrettably, over recent times, this consensus has been broken. Earlier in this debate, I heard an extremely partisan speech by the Fianna Fáil leader, Deputy Martin. His unhelpful criticisms of the Government were consistent with his recent remarks in which he has tried to score political points rather than support the process.

I point out to Deputy Martin that many of the issues with which the political parties in the Executive and Assembly and the two Governments were dealing in the Haass talks were live when he was Minister for Foreign Affairs. He was not able to get agreement then and he should know better than to snipe from the sidelines now. He knows the failure to extend the remit of the North-South bodies or regarding the construction of the Narrow Water bridge in Louth is not down to the Irish Government. Rather, it is down to opposition within the Executive and Assembly in Northern Ireland. I support fully the development of both and we in the Labour Party will continue to work in whatever way we can to advance both these projects.

In conclusion, I welcome this opportunity to speak on Northern Ireland and hope there will be further opportunities to speak as the process continues over the coming months. Many issues remain unresolved that have an impact on all of us who live on the island, just as they do on the population in the North. I thank the Tánaiste for his work to date and pledge the Labour Party's full support for the period ahead.

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