Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will answer the questions as a response to all of these questions about Northern Ireland, the involvement of the British Prime Minister and these relationships and if Deputies want to ask individual questions about the 34 questions, I am happy to answer them.

Our meeting took place one year on from the signing of the joint statement which set out the vision and a framework for improved cooperation between Ireland and the UK over the coming decade. We had a productive discussion across the range of issues that we have agreed to work on together, and where we have seen significant progress over the last year. We intend to keep up that momentum.

The joint economic study that we proposed a year ago is almost completed. I am confident that it will help to identify further areas for cooperation. We have made real progress on energy. The launch of the east-west interconnector last year was a landmark achievement. January's memorandum of understanding on the export of renewable energy enables detailed engagement towards an inter-governmental agreement in this area. We have also made considerable progress towards a reciprocal visa arrangement for travel to Britain and Ireland. Other good examples of progress include greater cooperation between Tourism Ireland and Visit Britain, between our enterprise and trade agencies and on research and development.

The joint statement also envisaged a comprehensive programme of engagement between the two Administrations, including close bilateral engagement between departments and regular meetings at Secretary General-Permanent Secretary level. A number of bilateral meetings have taken place across a range of policy areas since the March 2012 joint statement. A plenary meeting of Secretaries General and Permanent Secretaries from the UK took place on 16 November 2012 in London to assess progress and map out future work. A plenary meeting of Secretaries General and Permanent Secretaries from Northern Ireland also took place in Dublin on 4 March 2013 to discuss the North-South aspects of the wider joint economic study.

We asked our Secretaries General and Permanent Secretaries to work up further policy recommendations on the back of the joint economic study once it is finished. A further meeting of that group is scheduled to take place in Dublin for this purpose and to look ahead to the annual review summit in 2014.

At my bilateral meeting with the British Prime Minister we also had an open and positive discussion about political, economic and security developments in Northern Ireland. We re-affirmed the support of both Governments for the full implementation of the Good Friday and St Andrews Agreements, already raised here, and expressed our confidence in the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Judiciary and the Parades Commission in their work.

In this context, I welcome the announcement by the First and deputy First Minister that they will be publishing a strategy on building a reconciled and united community in Northern Ireland in the coming weeks. This, together with the other measures they announced, represents good progress. We remain committed co-guarantors of the peace process and we will continue to work closely with the Northern Executive to promote peace, stability and prosperity in Northern Ireland. We want to work together with the Executive to build a strong shared future. The British Government's economic package for Northern Ireland that has recently been proposed consists of a range of options to boost the private sector in Northern Ireland. The British Government will work closely with the Executive to help rebalance the economy in Northern Ireland, increase its competitiveness and help to build a shared society. The package covers a wide range of proposals from additional tax and borrowing powers for the Executive, through to measures to encourage infrastructure and investment.

As I had also done at other meetings, I referred to the Pat Finucane case. As Deputies are well aware, we have a different position to that of the British Government and I fully support the Finucane family's quest for a full inquiry. I did not discuss other cases with the Prime Minister.

On EU issues we discussed the outcome of the multiannual financial framework, MFF, negotiations which had concluded shortly before our meeting and on the need for the European Parliament to approve the deal, which the Irish Presidency is very focused on. We both strongly support the goal of improving the competitiveness of European business and will work to see the single market deepened further, particularly in services, the digital economy and energy, all clear aims of Ireland's EU Presidency. We both agreed that we would use our respective roles as EU President and the G8 chair to press for the launch of negotiations on an EU-US trade agreement this June.

I did not discuss reducing corporation tax in Northern Ireland or the bilateral loan to Ireland with the Prime Minister nor did we discuss the UK's future in the EU, the referendum in 2016 or events in Mali. I am pleased that both the British Government and ourselves will be working closely together and contribute to the new PEACE IV programme valued at €150 million and which the Government negotiated with the European Commission.

This was secured through our intervention in Brussels in the lead up to the negotiations on the MFF budget and I am pleased the Government's efforts were successful. The new PEACE IV programme's aims and objectives will be clarified over the coming months. We remain committed to meeting together at annual summits to review and oversee progress in our joint work, and I look forward to the next summit in 2014. After our meeting the Prime Minister and I went together to the annual reception at Westminster, also sponsored by Tourism Ireland, an event which was attended by many involved in delivering peace in Northern Ireland.

I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak at the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly plenary session in Letterkenny in March. The theme of the plenary was "Energy across Borders - Delivering the Economic Opportunities". The discussions centred on the issues of energy innovation and the development of renewables, with a particular focus on how the British and Irish Governments, along with the devolved regional parliaments, can work together on this increasingly important issue.

Preparations by the authorities in Britain and Northern Ireland for the G8 summit meeting are ongoing. Given the proximity to the Border and the scale and significance of the event, there are important security implications for this jurisdiction. In this regard, the Garda authorities are working closely with the PSNI in putting in place the cross-Border security arrangements which will be necessary for the event. This dedicated co-operation will continue up to and during the event.

The Government remains firmly committed to ensuring the full and effective implementation of the Good Friday and St. Andrew's Agreements. To this end I look forward to attending the next BIC summit in Deny in June and also the North-South Ministerial Council, NSMC, plenary meeting in Dublin in July where I hope progress can be made across a number of areas. The Tánaiste attended the NSMC institutional meeting in Belfast with the First and Deputy First Ministers on Monday, 29 April, and also attended a cross-community event to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement with the Secretary of State, Ms Theresa Villiers.

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