Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The points made by Deputy Higgins are all relevant. Nobody wants to see a return to rioting or sectarian violence. I fully agree with him that those communities do not want to be dragged back, as he said, into sectarian violence which ruined so many lives and communities. The very young people who were involved in some of the most recent rioting are too young - some were not born - to remember the bad situation that applied over much of the previous 30 years in various locations in Northern Ireland. It is true to say that the development of the economy and the creation of jobs and job opportunities is the single biggest benefit that can happen for any community where young men and women have the opportunity to find a job and contribute to their community. Everyone can agree on the necessity for constant interaction with communities and support for those people from both sides of whatever divisions that exist to work incessantly with young people to show them that there is a positive way forward. I was in areas in Belfast in the past 12 months where extraordinary community activists and workers go out of their way all the time to persuade young people from whatever background to take the opportunity to live their lives and not to go the wrong road too early in their career. That is very important and it is why I fully support and will continue to work for continued funding both from the United States and Europe in that regard. That is why I signed the strategic partnership agreement with Prime Minister Cameron. This country faces serious economic challenges and so too does Northern Ireland. I agree with Deputy Higgins that the worst thing that could happen is the loss of hope for young people in communities where they see no development taking place. That is another reason why both in respect of the parliamentary forum and the North-South Ministerial Council we will continue to work with colleagues from the Assembly and the Executive to, as it were, assist where we can in the development of those issues that are helpful for communities. I hope the Ulster Covenant parade will go off peacefully and, as I said to Deputy McDonald, that there is engagement and interaction at community level before it takes place so that disruption can be minimised and, hopefully, will not take place at all.

I am aware of the march Deputy Higgins mentioned in respect of the outdoor relief strike. I hope it is a positive engagement to show the political process the necessity for effective investment to create jobs. It is fair to say that when one travels to Belfast now much of the city has been transformed into a modern, welcoming city which has had extraordinary economic benefit from the tourism aspect of the Titanic and due to the major sporting engagements that have taken place there. The development of a new stadium in Belfast will have implications not only for facilities in the immediate term but I hope also in the longer term when the country either unilaterally or in conjunction with Northern Ireland can offer facilities for major international sporting events in the years ahead. Those are things that will stand to Northern Ireland and its people and are a measure of the distance we have travelled as an island in recent years.

It is not the case that everything is by any means well - I share the views of Deputies opposite that it is necessary to keep a constant engagement, involvement and understanding and to provide assistance where possible. It takes leadership and engagement at local level and support for such personnel to prevent the kind of rioting we have seen for many years. We will do what we can in so far as we can impact on that. The Government will do that with the government across the water and the Executive and Assembly. I am happy to hear from Members of this House at any time who are aware of issues that may arise that need the attention of Government.

See this speech in context