Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I have closely followed developments relating to the Basque country, including the public declaration at the San Sebastian conference on 17 October 2011 referred to by the Deputy, and the subsequent declaration by ETA on 20 October 2011 that the organisation had "decided on the definitive cessation of its armed activity". As I have said previously, the Government supports any development that could lead to definitive peace in the Basque country and I welcome the declaration by ETA on 20 October 2011 in this context. The declaration by ETA was welcomed by the leaders of all political parties in Spain as good news, as a victory for the rule of law and as a result of the determination of successive Spanish Governments to put an end to violence.

The new Spanish Government, led by Mariano Rajoy, which took office in late December, is undoubtedly now examining the situation and taking account of all relevant developments, including the content of the ETA declaration. It will need to determine how best to move forward, including on the question of any possible process of dialogue involving relevant political representatives. The outcome of the Spanish general election in November has resulted in the full range of Basque nationalist opinion being represented in the new Spanish Parliament. It is to be hoped that this can result in further progress and in the relevant actors moving forward in accordance with democratic principles and the rule of law.

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