Dáil debates

Wednesday, 26 April 2006

11:00 am

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

To follow on Deputy Rabbitte's question, I welcome the report of the IMC, which points to further progress regarding the IRA fulfilling its commitments. I urge the DUP, in particular, to use the opportunity presented by the forthcoming recall of the Assembly to engage further in dialogue that might bring about further trust before the recall of the Executive later in the year. Does the Taoiseach have a view on the IMC's opinion that the proceeds of IRA crime might be used as what it calls a "strategic asset" in the Twenty-six Counties? Is this not a clear indication that every resource and facility should be made available to the Garda, the PSNI and the CAB so they can follow the money trail to ensure assets acquired through criminality by the IRA are not channelled into strategic asset use, as the IMC report indicates? In this context, has the Taoiseach examined the rates of duty that apply to diesel and petrol on either side of the Border? There is obviously a racket going on all the time in this regard and it needs to be monitored and stamped out.

Arising from Deputy Rabbitte's question on the murder of Denis Donaldson, has the Taoiseach any information on the possible outing of further persons alleged to be involved in spying activities north or south of the Border?

Will the Taoiseach outline the changed position on representation by Northern Ireland representatives in a committee of the House? Surely this could not work if Unionist representatives were not included. Is the Taoiseach aware of their position on this?

Yesterday at the meeting of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body in Killarney, Mr. Eddie McGrady, MP, a member of the SDLP, stated, significantly, that the SDLP and other parties are being ignored in the current talks and have not been advised fully by the Taoiseach or UK Prime Minister on the proposals in hand. I do not know if the Taoiseach is aware of this statement but there were obviously occasions on which the SDLP in particular felt left out. Given that the Taoiseach must now deal with Sinn Féin and the DUP, the UUP and SDLP may sometimes feel left out of the discussions. Therefore, is it not in the interest of everybody that they should be informed fully? Perhaps the Taoiseach will take the opportunity to respond to Mr. McGrady's comment in view of his party's long association with constitutional politics and its belief that communities should be able to live together and deal with normal politics.

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