Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

The intervention at the international conference in San Sebastian last October was a key one, particularly as it included figures from the Irish peace process, Kofi Annan and Jonathan Powell, the former chief of staff under Tony Blair. This was a key intervention to which there has been a positive response. As in the case of the Irish peace process, the next step is to definitively demonstrate to those in the Basque country who wish to secure independence - I refer specifically to young people - and have their rights, especially cultural rights, fully recognised that there is a different way forward and an alternative to violence. We learned to our initial cost that it is critical to have engagement with the key players following this type of announcement. Will the Tánaiste call on the French and Spanish Governments to engage with the key protagonists in the Basque country to move the position forward?

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