Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will endeavour to be as comprehensive as possible. If I miss out on something, I hope members will come back in. Deputy Kitt made a point on legacy. We took the view that we were close to agreement on the operation of the historical investigations unit, including on the provision of guaranteeing its independence and the point that it would be compliant with the Patten principles on policing and justice.

Let us go back to what I said originally and factor in Deputy Crowe's point on where the agreement fell. We expressed our preference during the talks for a process that would cover the range of legacy issues on which agreement was possible. The view was that there should be an approach to inculcate a process or speak to the issue of legacy in such a way as not to exclude it from an agreement. The idea was to ensure that we would have a pathway for continuation. In the absence of agreement on the issue we are now in a situation where we stand ready to engage on legacy issues again. The two Governments are seeking a way forward. It is not possible to put an exact timeline on it. We are willing to engage. However, in the case of legacy issues people have to be willing to engage on the basis that there is the prospect of success. I take the point made about what one might term the anachronistic iterative processes that have gone on since 1998 and whether it is possible to provide a way for innovation to allow us to overcome these issues outside of a hothouse arrangement or an intensive process that goes on for ten weeks, but one in which there is no guarantee of success on certain aspects that need to be dealt with for the benefit of this island and our neighbours to the east. There is scope now for some new thinking at political level in terms of how we engage on an ongoing basis rather than within the confined process. We do not always get the outcomes we desire.

Deputy O'Reilly made a particular point. Section A of the agreement contains a specific reference to the joint agency task force. The Deputy asked how that is comprised. It will be led by senior officers from Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Garda Síochána, the Revenue Commissioners and HM Revenue and Customs. There is a specific reference to the effect that the task force will report on its work in accordance with the statutory arrangements in place for the law enforcement agencies. In turn, the task force will have a strategic oversight group and an operations co-ordination unit. That much is well laid out.

Deputy O'Reilly also asked about economic activity and supports within the Border region. He made reference to the PEACE and INTERREG programmes. I contend that the Government has done a great deal of work with our neighbours to ensure funding will be provided where there is framework for it. A great deal of work was done to get us to the point where we actually agreed on PEACE, for example. That will translate back into the Border region in respect of economic activity. I take the point made on the north-west gateway initiative. The A5 proposal is the key. Deputy Kitt asked about the €110 million allocation. That is the entirety of the package from an Irish Government perspective, so it is inclusive of the north-west gateway initiative. It also includes the other commitments on the A5. No one would disagree with the fact that the north west is a region requiring more in respect of political commitment.

There are good initiatives at play there at present, particularly with the two councils on either side of the Border. It is for us at governmental level to try to support that in every way we can. Increasing economic activity is one of the key areas.

Deputy's Crowe spoke about legacy, national security and the approach taken. I think I have answered the question about the approach. If I was to speak personally, I would say that perhaps the approach needs to be looked at again. I do not mean to be ageist, but I am, perhaps, part of a particular generation of politicians. We can name any number of agreements and negotiations, such as the 1998 process or the Weston Park negotiations; it is an iterative process. This generation is as much obliged as the previous one to continue the work on legacy issues, however. We do not want to let another generation pass without ensuring that justice can be found for the victims and their families. That is a fundamental principle which underpins any Irish Government policy on the North, no matter who is in the driving seat. While we stand ready to re-engage on legacy issues, the timing of that engagement remains to be determined. We look forward to co-operating.

In my opening remarks I said that the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, will be meeting with the Secretary of State, Ms Villiers, next week. Part of that conversation will be about continuing to maintain momentum on the need to deal with the issues which Deputy Crowe has articulated in respect of national security and disclosure.

I do not think today is the day to open up parts of the negotiations again. We felt that we had made some progress in creating the institutions that were necessary to deal with legacy, such as the implementation and reconciliation group, IRG and the historical investigations unit, HIU. However, during the process of negotiation there was agreement all around that we need to get to a point at which there is at least agreement on the need to restore confidence in the institutions. There was consensus that we would revisit the other aspects and continue to devote energy to them.

People have expressed their good wishes and congratulations but I have to say that congratulations are due to Mr. Garvin and Ms McGrath beside me, and to a great team of officials from both the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Justice and Equality. Incidentally, that Department will take the lead in the interaction on the task force issues. It is a team approach and the work will continue between sets of negotiations. I reassure the committee that it is a constant process.

There was a specific question about flood relief and energy. Those issues are dealt with in the sectoral elements and in the ongoing work at ministerial level. As I said at the outset, we have seen a new energy about ensuring that the agenda on ongoing North-South issues, such as flooding and flood relief, is dealt with through sectoral engagements.