Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I believe we are taking approximately 13 questions together. The Taoiseach started by paying tribute to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on their initiative in commencing the Haass process in May. Does he agree that such initiation indicates the significant progress that has been made by the Assembly in the Six Counties? However, the failure to date to conclude the agreement indicates that the sort of progress we all want to see has not yet been achieved. Does the Taoiseach agree that the work done by Professor Meghan O'Sullivan and Dr. Haass was very substantial in nature? I am conscious they got to the seventh draft of their paper and made substantive proposals, including that two bodies would be formed to replace the parades commission, the work of the Historic Enquiries Team could be continued by a new unit which would be established with the investigative powers of the PSNI, and the formation of an independent commission for information retrieval. Does the Taoiseach agree that they were all very substantive proposals that the Government on this side of the Border could support enthusiastically? They called for everyone, who had information from the many years of the conflict, to come forward and give information. That process of coming forward and giving information would be beneficial.

The Taoiseach has said that the Government stands ready. When we look back over the past 16 years, we see that progress has been made, but the most significant progress has been made when the Government and British Government became involved directly. I appreciate a certain reticence on the Taoiseach's part. I agree with the desire for the parties there to resolve the problem. However, we marched up the hill in the run-up to Christmas and then up to New Year's Eve, and public expectations, both north and south of the Border, were raised enormously that substantial progress could be made. That progress was not achieved is potentially damaging to the morale of all those involved, to the political parties and to the community in the Six Counties.

Does the Taoiseach agree that it might have been a mistake to adopt a hands-off or arms-length approach to the situation? I say that notwithstanding my acceptance of the engagement the Taoiseach had with the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, MP, and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ms Theresa Villiers, MP, and the work being done by the Tánaiste. However, the sort of direct face-to-face involvement that we have been used to in the past was not a feature of these negotiations. In the context of the Taoiseach saying that the Government stands ready, at what point will that readiness require the Taoiseach and the Government to become directly involved in the process?

Deputy Adams has rightly raised the issue of some more organised structured periodic discussions on Northern Ireland issues. We have the North-South bodies, the British-Irish Council and various other elements flowing from the Good Friday Agreement. However, there is none the less a desire on the part of parliamentarians and on the part of very many interested parties, north and south of the Border, to see all elements of the Good Friday Agreement implemented.

Would it be useful for the Taoiseach to take up Deputy Adams' proposition and have quarterly discussions on the situation in the Six Counties in this Chamber? The Taoiseach has said that very often they would be about normal issues. Would he agree with me that we can all be grateful that we have lived to see the day, and reached the point, where much of the discussion about the Six Counties is about routine issues? Would he agree too that huge benefit could accrue to populations north and south of the Border if there were more active engagement on and discussion of the bread and butter issues, economic and social affairs? Would the Taoiseach give us a commitment that we could do that on at least a quarterly basis?

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