Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank members for their contributions. I believe there was great value in taking stock of the situation in Northern Ireland and considering recent developments in the totality of relationships set out in the Good Friday Agreement, which support and underpin our approach to Northern Ireland.

There was encouragement and support today from a number of Deputies for the Northern Ireland parties and their ongoing work on finding agreement on flags, parades and contending with the past. As many speakers have pointed out, if they can succeed in reaching agreement on how to manage these issues now, they will create the political and civic space to consider what else needs to be done to make Northern Ireland a less divided and more prosperous place.

Reaching agreement without further delay must remain their priority. We, as a Government, will facilitate progress in any way we can. There is no room for complacency on this.

I have made that clear. I have made it clear also that I do not underestimate the nature, scale or complexity of the work ahead.

Many Deputies raised the scourge of sectarianism, and I agree wholeheartedly that it must be tackled urgently. The Northern Ireland Executive's initiative entitled Together: Building a United Community made this a priority for the Northern Ireland public service. I welcome that. I referred earlier to the work of my Department's reconciliation and anti-sectarianism funds, which assist projects in interface areas designed specifically to address the root causes of sectarianism and defuse tensions.

It is clear that current difficulties regarding sectarianism, identity issues and contending with the past, if left unresolved, will continue to undermine peace, hamper confidence and hinder prosperity. They are important issues and rightly deserve the attention they have been receiving in the context of the ongoing political talks from the parties, from this House and from the Government as a co-guarantor of the constitutional agreements.

There are many other challenges and opportunities facing Northern Ireland which are also deserving of attention. I alluded to a number of them in my statement, as did other Deputies. These include issues around housing, youth employment, attracting foreign direct investment and growing indigenous industries. In some cases, these are challenges we face in this jurisdiction also and it makes sense that, as part of our approach, we should look to tackle these jointly on a North-South basis.

North-South co-operation is strong and strengthening, and both Deputies Martin and Adams echoed my views that there is the potential to do more on an all-island basis. On my visits to Belfast and Derry last autumn, I actively reached out to local business people to get their sense of how this Government can work with them to address the challenges they face. In addition, I ensured that the Northern Ireland business community was represented at last year's Global Irish Economic Forum and that a specific Belfast element was included in the forum's programme. I believe the addition of a stronger Northern focus enhanced the work of the forum. This is a practical example of how we can co-operate to our mutual benefit.

The Taoiseach acknowledged the work of Members of both parliamentary Houses of the Oireachtas from across political parties and groupings who, through their contributions as members of the Good Friday Agreement committee, the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the North-South Inter-Parliamentary Association, continue to foster and further British-Irish and North-South relations. A number of Deputies earlier referred to their own work and contributions as members of these committees and bodies. This is where political relationships develop and good ideas are formed. I want to underline again the importance of this work and to encourage Members to continue to foster these links.

A number of contributors also made reference to the importance of international support and interest in furthering the peace process. The support of the US Administration has been constructive, essential and steadfast over a number of years in encouraging and strengthening peace and reconciliation on this island, including throughout the recent political talks. The European Union has been and, through the new PEACE IV and INTERREG programmes, continues to be a constant, positive and generous supporter of reconciliation and development. I want to acknowledge and thank our US and European friends for that support and acknowledge the agreement that we secured during our Presidency of the European Union of the €150 million PEACE IV programme that will now be developed and brought forward.

Throughout the decades this House has united on several occasions in respect of matters in regard to Northern Ireland. I welcome the solidarity expressed today by Members of this House with the Northern Ireland political parties as they work collectively to find agreement on the contentious issues of parades, flags and contending with the past, in the knowledge that that is what the majority of the people of Northern Ireland want. I welcome that so many Deputies today were united in support of new, renewed and unprecedented opportunities for North-South co-operation and for the continued strengthening of British-Irish relations. I know that we are all united today in support of a safe, secure, fair and prosperous Northern Ireland at peace with itself and with its neighbours. However, I want to express some disappointment at the contribution made earlier by Deputy Micheál Martin, as Leader of Fianna Fáil, which was echoed, unfortunately, by some members of his party later in the day. It was the first occasion I can recall when the Leader of the Opposition in this House, in a contribution on Northern Ireland, failed to support the work the Government is doing, irrespective of its composition, on Northern Ireland and the issues on which all of us in this House are united. If there were any words of support in Deputy Martin's contribution for the work of the Government in regard to Northern Ireland - and I was here for it - they escaped me as I listened to it. I want to caution against the temptation, which I do understand, for Fianna Fáil in opposition to play Northern Ireland for party advantage. There has been-----

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