Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As a number of questions in the name of my party leader are being taken with this group, the Ceann Comhairle might indulge me by allowing me in a second time, if necessary. Has the Taoiseach been kept up to date with what happened at certain parades in north Belfast over the summer? He will be aware that tensions have been very high in the North, and in north Belfast in particular, since 12 July. I am sure he will have seen footage of an incident in which a band played sectarian songs while marching in circles around St. Patrick's Church. Another very big parade is planned for 29 September next in commemoration of the centenary of the Ulster Covenant. That is also proving extremely problematic.

It has to be said that, unlike many years ago, they are relatively few in number. However, the heart of the problem of contentious parades is still the refusal of the Orange Order and the loyalist institutions to enter into face-to-face dialogue with residents groups. It is critical that the Orange Order moves in that respect. That dialogue has to happen. Will the Taoiseach talk to us about this? I take it as read that he is following and has followed the events in north Belfast closely.

I am glad that the Taoiseach met the Kingsmills families. I want to raise with him again the issue of the Ballymurphy families which Deputy Gerry Adams has raised with him time out of number. The Taoiseach indicated previously a willingness to meet these families. I ask him today to give a date or timeframe for that meeting. As I told him before, the families are more than happy to travel to Dublin to meet him, if that would be more convenient. They are understandably anxious because what happened in August 1971 in "The Murph", as it is called, is clearly a matter of public interest, in particular the behaviour of the Paras - the Parachute Regiment - at the time. The outgoing Secretary of State, Mr. Owen Paterson, MP, took the view that an inquiry into these matters would not be in the public interest. It is very important that the families, the Nationalist-republican community and society at large understand the Taoiseach is prepared to meet the families and intervene.

I hope the Taoiseach will meet the new Secretary of State, Ms Theresa Villiers, MP, very soon. My colleague, the Deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin McGuinness, met her last week. There is a list of issues that need to be raised with her, the case of Mr. Pat Finucane being one, as well as the ongoing stubbornness in the British system as regards the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and the Ballymurphy massacre, which I mentioned. In addition, there is the continuing and festering issue of the imprisonment of Ms Marian Price and Mr. Martin Corey who find themselves in a completely unacceptable situation where it seems due process has been set aside comprehensively. Ms Price, as the Taoiseach knows, is very unwell. There are other issues relating to the transfer of fiscal powers which perhaps the Ceann Comhairle might allow me to raise at a later stage.

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