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

We met with representatives of the Human Rights Consortium in the North to discuss the outstanding elements of the Good Friday Agreement, in particular, the need for a bill of rights for the North. The consortium is very concerned that the British Government is deliberately long-fingering this issue because of Tory objections to the idea of a bill of rights and because elements of political Unionism are not in favour of a bill of rights for the North. As the Taoiseach is aware, the British Government used the work of the Commission on a Bill of Rights in the UK as an excuse for not delivering the bill of rights for the North that was agreed and outlined in the Good Friday Agreement. The final report of the British commission, which was released in December, accepts the importance of a bill of rights to the peace process. It states the commission does "not wish to interfere in that process in any way nor for any of the conclusions that we reach to be interpreted or used in such a way as to interfere in, or delay, the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights process."

When the leader of my party, Deputy Gerry Adams, raised this issue with the Taoiseach on the Order of Business on 19 December, the Taoiseach indicated he would read the report and gave a commitment to follow up on the matter with the Northern Executive and British authorities. Has the Taoiseach read the report? Did the Government raise the issue with the British in recent meetings? Will the Taoiseach outline how he intends to secure progress on a bill of rights for the North? As he will be aware, this is an ongoing issue and a cause of frustration for those who seek progressive change in the North.

In respect of the protests related to the union flag controversy and unrest on the streets of Belfast, it is important to repeat, as the Taoiseach acknowledged, that the decision on the flying of the union flag was democratically taken by the elected representatives of Belfast. He will also be aware from his visits to the North that Belfast is very much a changed city. It is, if one likes, no longer a haven of Unionist strength but very much a shared city. The manner in which flags and emblems are to be treated under the equality provisions of the Good Friday Agreement is to give life and affirmation to the notion of shared spaces and nowhere more so than in the city of Belfast.

I share the concern expressed by the Taoiseach for public representatives and refer specifically to Naomi Long, MP, of the Alliance Party, as well as others who have been threatened. I also share his concern for PSNI officers. There is, however, one particular community in the east of Belfast, which is being placed under particular pressure during the illegal loyalist demonstrations and parades. I visited the Short Strand a couple of weeks ago and sat in homes, many belonging to elderly people, which are being routinely stoned and petrol bombed at a time when peace and reconciliation are the order of the day. I note the Tánaiste was in Belfast recently but did not, unfortunately, visit the Short Strand. It was not lost on the residents of the area that the Secretary of State and many other people paid visits to the area, while they still await a visit from a member of the Dublin Government. Although officials have visited, it is important that the Tánaiste or Taoiseach or, ideally, both of them, pay a visit to the Short Strand.

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