Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Haass-O'Sullivan talks process and earnestly hope for a successful conclusion. The issues under discussion are important for this entire island, as Ambassador Haass's remit includes issues surrounding parades, flags, emblems and the past. Mechanisms must be developed to resolve, once and for all, the ongoing disputes over these contentious issues. The period from December to March last winter was a dark time for Northern Ireland because of the flag protests and the negative impact of that misbehaviour, to put it mildly, which included a sharp decline in business, particularly in Belfast. Unfortunately, last summer we also saw thuggery associated with parades.

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