Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 10, inclusive, together.

I led the Irish Government delegation to the British Irish Council summit on 16 July in Belfast. Prime Minister Brown led the British Government delegation. The BIC was chaired by First Minister Paisley and Deputy First Minister McGuinness. The Northern Ireland Executive was also represented by a number of Ministers. We were also joined by representatives from the administrations of Scotland, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

This was a truly historic event. It was the first summit meeting of the council since the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly in May 2007 and the first summit to take place in Northern Ireland. It was also the first occasion on which the eight heads of administration had the opportunity to meet together since the recent elections in other member administrations.

At the meeting, the council discussed how the BIC might develop its work, now that all eight members are again represented by their respective administrations. We also discussed transport infrastructure links as well as other issues, including the misuse of drugs, the environment, e-health, tourism, the knowledge economy, indigenous, minority and lesser used languages, social inclusion and demography.

I led the Government delegation at the plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council on 17 July in Armagh. This was the first meeting of the NSMC since its restoration to full operation following the recent historic agreement in Northern Ireland. The meeting was an important opportunity for me and my Government colleagues to discuss North-South co-operation with the First and Deputy First Minister and Ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive. A number of items were discussed, including cross-Border co-operation on roads, the proposed restoration of the Ulster Canal, the independent North-South consultative forum and the North-South parliamentary forum.

Other issues discussed included recent progress and future potential for North-South co-operation and the review of the North-South bodies and areas of co-operation. That review has commenced and is due to be completed in the spring. Since then, a number of NSMC meetings at sectoral level have also taken place.

The British-Irish Council meeting in Belfast provided an opportunity for my first formal meeting with British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. During our meeting, we discussed the next phase of the process in Northern Ireland and the wider relationship between Ireland and Britain. We agreed to meet regularly and to further develop co-operation on economic and EU issues as well as review progress on the peace process in Northern Ireland. The relationship between Ireland and Britain is very strong and I look forward to maintaining and improving the partnership we have built in recent years. This meeting with Prime Minister Brown was my only official meeting on the margins of the BIC summit.

I met Deputy First Minister McGuinness on 23 July in Government Buildings.

At the NSMC meeting, it was noted that the Irish Government would consult the social partners on the North-South consultative forum and consultations will take place shortly. There were initial consultations with the social partners on the establishment of a North-South consultative forum at their steering group meeting on 9 October last. There will be further discussions with the social partners on this matter in the near future.

I visited Derry and Omagh on Friday 2 November. In the course of my address to the Derry Chamber of Commerce, I emphasised our commitment to pursuing practical cooperation with the Northern Ireland Executive through the North-South Ministerial Council, to the development of the north-west region through the north-west gateway initiative and to the development of the region's transport infrastructure through the budgetary allocations in the national development plan. I also met business and community leaders and we discussed a range of local issues.

Mayor Drew Thompson hosted a reception in the Guildhall, where I had the opportunity to acknowledge the work done by Derry's political leaders in advancing the cause of peace and in the establishment of the devolved institutions. I also visited the Tower Museum to view an exhibition on the history of Derry and I visited Foyle Hospice which serves the community on a cross-Border basis.

On my visit to the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh, I commended the Council for its work in bringing such a landmark project to fruition. It is a project that will add greatly to the rich cultural heritage of the town.

I met the First Minister, Dr. Ian Paisley, in Government Buildings on Saturday 3 November. We discussed a wide range of issues, including shared heritage issues and current political and economic issues.

I met the Consultative Group on the Past, co-chaired by Lord Robin Eames and Denis Bradley, in Government Buildings on Monday, 5 November. While our focus must be on building a better future for everyone on this island, we also need to address the human legacy of the conflict. I fully support the work of the group. It has an important and difficult task and I wish it well in its work.

The question of the funding for the conflict transformation initiative in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. The Government's position was set out on 10 August when the Minister for Foreign Affairs issued a statement endorsing Minister Margaret Ritchie's robust statement that paramilitary violence and criminality has no place in a Northern Ireland that is fast moving beyond conflict.

I warmly welcome the statement by the UDA on Sunday last, in particular its acknowledgement that the conflict is over and its commitment to achieving a society where violence and weaponry belong to the past. The commitments to stand-down the UFF in its entirety and to put all weaponry beyond use are to be welcomed. The condemnation of crime and criminality is also important, including the recognition of the damage done to loyalist communities by those engaged in drug-dealing. The task now for the organisation is to deliver on these commitments in full, including through early engagement with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning. This statement is significant and hopefully signals a further step towards the ending of all paramilitarism in Northern Ireland.

It is important that we remember at this time the victims and survivors of UDA violence, an organisation which carried out appalling atrocities during the conflict in Northern Ireland, just as we remember all those who suffered as a result of paramilitary violence from whatever source. It is my enduring hope that those days are gone and that the era of paramilitarism is now being left behind for ever. The Government has been clear that we want to see all communities benefit from the peace process. We will give our support to those in loyalism who are genuinely working to bring about positive change on behalf of their communities.

I welcome the report of the IMC which was published on 7 November and which deals with paramilitary activity. The Government notes with concern the IMC's comments about the continuing violence and criminality of dissident republican groups. I take the opportunity to condemn in the strongest possible terms the appalling attacks on members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland in recent days. The Garda Síochána, in co-operation with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, will continue to take any steps necessary to counter the threat posed by these anti-democratic organisations. There is no place for violence and criminality in the future of Northern Ireland.

Since May, we have seen a remarkable transformation in politics in Northern Ireland and on this island. All the democratic institutions are fully operational, the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive, the North-South Ministerial Council and the British-Irish Council, as the people intended when they voted overwhelmingly for the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Despite the occasional political tensions, which can occur in any democratic system, they are now working intensively for the benefit of all the people in a spirit of co-operation and based firmly on the principles of peace and democracy.

As I noted in my reply, I visited Omagh ten days ago. I express my sympathies again to the people of Omagh and in particular to those who were bereaved in the tragic fire of yesterday morning. It was a horrific event for the community, those close to the family and their friends. I wish to put on the record of the House the Government's condolences to and sympathy with the entire community in Omagh.

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