Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 31, inclusive, together.

As Deputies are aware, the recent political talks in Northern Ireland on parades, flags and contending with the past under the chairmanship of Dr. Richard Haass and the vice-chairmanship of Dr. Meghan O’Sullivan concluded without agreement in the early hours of New Year’s Eve. I am disappointed that the talks concluded without reaching agreement. I believe that this is a disappointment shared by the people of Northern Ireland who want a solution to these issues so that they can move forward. Nonetheless, while this particular process has not resulted in an agreement being concluded by the five parties, it is important that work continues under the stewardship of the First and Deputy First Ministers and across the five parties in the Executive to tackle the key issues facing Northern Ireland today.

It is worth recalling that Dr. Haass and his team were invited by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness to assist with the work of the working group of representatives from each of the five Northern Ireland Executive parties established to examine the contentious issues of flags, parades and the past. The establishment of the working group formed part of the Executive’s strategy, Together: Building a United Community, aimed at improving community relations and continuing Northern Ireland’s journey towards a more united and reconciled society.

I welcome the initiative taken by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness. This initiative did not involve the two Governments. This in itself was a positive signal that the political parties were trying to address the outstanding contentious issues. Naturally, as the two Governments were not party to the negotiations, our position has been one of support for the parties rather than to oppose or endorse any specific proposal.

Dr. Haass and Dr. O’Sullivan started work in September 2013 with the objective of concluding agreement by the end of the year. They undertook an ambitious programme of work between September and November, including an extensive process of consultation with wider society. We have followed the discussions of the past few months closely, including through contact with the parties and the British Government. I met Dr. Haass in Dublin on 31 October, and together with the Tánaiste on 12 December, to discuss each of the issues that he had been asked to address by the Northern Ireland Executive. I assured Dr. Haass that he and his team had the full support of my Government in their work and in helping to move the peace process forward.

I spoke with Prime Minister Cameron about the Haass talks on a number of occasions, including on 19 December when we were both in Flanders to pay our respects to the men who died in the First World War. We attended the December European Council later that day. I discussed the outcome of the talks with Prime Minister Cameron in a telephone conversation on New Year's Eve. In addition, there was ongoing close contact at official level in Belfast and London throughout the process.

The US Administration also maintained close interest in the talks. I had a meeting with US Vice President Joe Biden during my visit to Japan. At that meeting we spoke about a range of issues including a brief discussion about Northern Ireland and the Haass talks. More generally, there has also been ongoing contact at official level with the US Administration in Washington.

In November, when in Armagh, I spoke with First Minister Robinson and Deputy First Minister McGuinness about the Haass process. They were also in Japan in December and our visits briefly overlapped in Tokyo. I was pleased that they were able to join me at a reception hosted by the Irish Embassy in Tokyo. We did not have a substantive meeting on that occasion so an opportunity to discuss the Haass talks did not arise in Tokyo.

The final stage of talks was an intensive political phase in the run-up to Christmas and between Christmas and the new year. During this phase the Tánaiste spoke with and met all the parties, with Dr. Haass and with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on a number of occasions. The Tánaiste was also in Belfast for the final period of talks during which he was also in close contact with Dr. Haass and Dr. O'Sullivan.

The Irish Government’s view is that the overriding objective of the follow up to the Haass talks must be to make further progress towards a more reconciled and prosperous society in Northern Ireland. While acknowledging that the issues to be addressed in the talks were difficult and contentious, I welcome that progress was made within the talks process over a short period on a number of the most difficult issues facing society in Northern Ireland today. The Haass proposals provide a basis for taking work forward on the contentious issues of parades, flags and the past.

Now is a time for the political parties in Northern Ireland to show leadership and in this context. I welcome that the five political parties in the Executive are meeting today to discuss proposals and outcomes on the specific issues to be resolved, with further meetings planned over the coming weeks. The Irish Government stands ready to work with the Northern Ireland Executive and with the British Government, to support further efforts to achieve greater peace and the common goal of building a united community in Northern Ireland.

I met with relatives of the disappeared in July 2013. Following immediately after that meeting and since then, I have publicly called on anyone with information about any of the cases of the disappeared to make it available in confidence to the Victims’ Remains Commission. I have not had any detailed discussion on the subject with Prime Minister Cameron, First Minister Robinson or Deputy First Minister McGuinness recently nor was the subject discussed at the last North-South Ministerial Council plenary meeting or the British-Irish Council summit.

As Deputies may be aware, a series of Dáil debates on Northern Ireland are planned to take place in the coming weeks starting on 5 February. I expect that the issue of the disappeared will feature in one of those debates. I am due to meet with the families of the Ballymurphy victims and political representatives this Thursday in Government Buildings.

In regard to the Pat Finucane case, the Government’s position continues to be that the British Government should fulfil the commitments entered into at Weston Park, as we have recently done with the publication of the Smithwick tribunal report. In line with this approach, we continue to call on the British Government for an independent public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane. This is an approach which has cross-party support in the Houses of the Oireachtas. As Prime Minister Cameron was not at the British Irish Council Summit in Jersey, there was no opportunity to speak with him on that occasion about the Haass talks or the Finucane case. The Government remains firmly committed to ensuring the full and effective implementation of the Good Friday and St. Andrews Agreements.

In regard to the St. Andrews Agreement review, and as I already outlined to Deputies last week in the Chamber, we agreed at the last North-South Ministerial Council plenary meeting in November that Ministers will now examine priorities at sectoral meetings, especially as they may affect economic recovery, job creation, the best use of public funds and the most effective delivery of public services. Both the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive are keen to ensure that a preliminary package of new priorities will be ready for discussion at the next North-South Ministerial Council plenary meeting in June 2014.

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