Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

As I stated, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has outlined the position in relation to the funding mechanism. There is nothing I can add to that. My Department continues to have an interest in this matter. Significant progress has been made since the initial initiative was taken by my predecessor in respect of Mr. McEntee and others who have examined this matter in great detail.

The Deputy raised the question of trying to assist and bring matters forward in this difficult situation. Justice for the Forgotten and the individuals and families affected existed long before funding was ever considered for any group. The organisation will continue regardless of whether funding is available. That is not the issue; the issue is the extent to which we have been able to make progress we have made. In previous parliamentary replies, I indicated that significant efforts had been made by this Administration and previous Administrations under the leadership of former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, to try to bring forward more facts in relation to this matter.

On the question of putting forward outstanding issues that have not yet been fully implemented, the Irish Government has always stood ready to assist. In the context of the Hillsborough discussions, the initiative of both Governments to hold the talks and insist that we stick at it and try to find a solution with the agreement of the parties which attended has brought us to a position where we avoided instability in the institutions and provided a way forward. While we have an interest in all strands of the Agreement, we will continue to assist on strands two and three and we will co-operate and seek an improved and more harmonious political relationship in the Executive through the changes envisaged in the Executive regarding its workings and operations. We will also seek to see real progress being made given the common challenges we face.

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