Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. I have been saying for well over 12 months that there has been a lack of proactivity by both Governments, particularly the Irish Government, in respect of events in Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement should be more than just the absence of violence. What we are beginning to witness are underlying factors coming to the boil, as has been the case in the type of outbreak we are having. While I acknowledge that various factors are involved, addressing health and educational inequalities in the North will be fundamental to moving on. I do not believe these issues have been adequately addressed by all concerned in recent years. One in two children in west Belfast is born into poverty and the area has one of the highest rates of poverty in this country or Britain. Early school-leaving rates are high in loyalist areas where school completion is not as strong as elsewhere.

These issues create medium to long-term problems on both sides of the community divide.

A far greater scale of input is required in terms of anti-sectarian initiatives, the reconciliation projects and building cross-community relationships. During the past decade or so, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has consistently provided money to community and sporting groups that have as part of their remits bridging community divides and working in interface areas.

The Northern Ireland Executive and both Governments need to work together to develop a more comprehensive plan, somewhat on the scale of our RAPID initiative and the drugs task force initiative that predated it. The plan should require all agencies of the state to integrate and co-ordinate their work and resources to reduce educational disadvantage and health inequalities. This is a painstaking, but more effective way of dealing with the emerging issues.

For many onlookers, it is frustrating to see more parading, flags and emblems. Is this the sum total of what politics is about in the North? Parading has been an issue for some time. We believed that it was being resolved and that, following agreement on the devolution of justice powers, the main players would fundamentally move forward. Alas, this has not occurred. One almost feels that it sometimes suits the Executive's key players to play to their electoral bases as opposed to stepping beyond those to forge a shared agenda and a shared future within the North.

The Short Strand's residents have a strong case as regards protection from attacks and illegal marching. The PSNI must be robust, objective and fair in protecting residents from such attacks. However, this cuts both ways. Political parties or groups cannot dictate to the PSNI who should or should not be arrested. Doing so would send wrong signals to the other side. When the PSNI recently arrested an individual, Sinn Féin picketed its headquarters. What signal does this send to communities when one is also asking them to support the PSNI in its endeavours to find the murderers of prison officer Black, for example? Within the same week, Sinn Féin protested because it did not like the PSNI's action.

The reform of policing under the Patten report and so on has been an essential element to emerge from the peace process. The Governments, the Executive and the parties of the Executive must be careful to protect it. Criticisms can be made, but there are forums for doing so.

I have tabled five questions. I appreciate that the Taoiseach has answered 14 questions together as opposed to the potential 38 questions that I feared he would lump in altogether. Whereas the bulk relate to the North, I beg the Ceann Comhairle's indulgence to allow me to revert on the question relating to Prime Minister David Cameron, which was not tabled in the context of the North.

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