Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I did not have information on it, but perhaps the Department was notified; I do not know.

As I said in reply to the Deputy's earlier question, I met the representatives of those affected by the Kingsmill massacre and the South East Fermanagh Foundation. In most of these cases departmental officials meet the members of the group beforehand to make arrangements for meetings. They recently met representatives of the Justice for the Forgotten group and the Ballymurphy families. I expect to meet representatives of the Justice for the Forgotten group shortly and representatives of The Disappeared. It is not my wish to prolong these things unduly; it is just simply a case of finding the time. While the Deputy says it is a long time without having a meeting, as he will be aware, one's schedule can be hectic at the least busy times.

I met a North-South representative group recently in County Louth at the eBay jobs announcement to discuss the Narrow Water Bridge project, which is important. I am glad Minister Wilson approved it.

We had a couple of engagements on that issue at different times. It will be the first physical connection across the Newry river estuary and will benefit commerce, trade and tourism. We have been continuously supportive of the project both in terms of our support for Louth County Council in making its arrangements and by way of the contribution we are making, together with that of the European Union. The chairman of the council pointed out on the occasion of the formal launching of the Mary McAleese Boyne Valley Bridge that machines will be on the ground at the Narrow Water Bridge site in the shortest possible time.

Deputy Joe McHugh and other representatives from the Border area have been in touch with me in respect of a number of matters relating to the A5 motorway and so on. I spoke briefly to the First and Deputy First Ministers about this issue the other day. Deputy Micheál Martin will be aware that there are a number of legal challenges to the development of the road which are currently being dealt with in the courts. I undertook to have a short meeting with the representative group of Border Members and intend to do so once the Presidency is over.

The North-South Ministerial Council, which was set in train during Deputy Martin's time in government, has been working very well. Ministers on both sides of the Border are in communication between formal meetings and there is a great deal of practical and pragmatic engagement on an ongoing basis. I was pleased to note during the course of the Presidency that Ministers involved in different sectors kept their counterparts in Northern Ireland fully informed and invited them to attend relevant meetings and occasions. A number of colleagues in the North were engaged with the permanent representation in Brussels and were thus kept fully informed on developments in regard to the Common Agricultural Policy, for instance, discussions on which will conclude today and tomorrow. Another example of this type of co-operation will be the appointment of a nominee of the Northern Ireland Minister for Health to the board of the new national children's hospital. Deputy Martin should not read too much into the announcement by Downing Street. We are heavily engaged with the First and Deputy First Ministers on a range of issues and activities. I spoke briefly to both of them at the G8 summit in Fermanagh.

We are conscious of the fragility of certain communities in the North and the need to address the issues they face. I supported the joint statement by the First and Deputy First Minister in regard to the first parade of the marching season, which urged people to reflect on the importance of adhering to proper and peaceful standards of behaviour. That is in the interest of every person and every community in Northern Ireland. I hope to meet in due course with relatives of the disappeared, Justice for the Forgotten, the relatives of those who died in Ballymurphy and others. We have a busy schedule but I will try to accommodate them as appropriately as I can.

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