Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Martin for his comments and question. I am very concerned about the escalation of events in Northern Ireland in the recent past. In the course of one day last week, we saw Unionist withdrawal from the Parades Commission, the all-party talks and the North-South Ministerial Council. This has very serious implications. I note that the Unionist parties announced a graduated response, whatever is meant by that. The first indication was in respect of non-attendance at the North-South Ministerial Council. It is true to say that the entire House should be concerned about the potential for an escalation to conflict and unwanted violence on 12 July with particular reference to the flash point that could occur at the shops on the Ardoyne Road.

I spoke to Mr. Cameron on Sunday and discussed this matter with him by telephone for a number of minutes in regard to the need for both governments to be very vigilant as to what contingency plans might be put in place. I advised the Prime Minister that we will send over senior personnel from Departments here to London this week to engage with their counterparts. Yesterday evening, I spoke to David Ford of the Alliance Party in respect of justice matters in Northern Ireland. He is obviously quite concerned about this. Last evening I also met the SDLP and Sinn Féin to get their views on the need for rational thinking and clear heads in respect of the next period and the implications of what lies ahead in September and October.

The Prime Minister, for his part, has made it clear that while he and his government are supportive of the Good Friday Agreement and the process that the Executive and the parties in Northern Ireland had negotiated and worked on before eventually being given devolved authority for a range of activities, the challenge is to make that system work.

I regret very much that the Unionist parties, both the DUP and the UUP, appear to have moved from a position of centrality on the Agreement to a point somewhere right of that. I also note that some of the Unionist groupings have called for peaceful measures this weekend and I hope that will be the outcome of this weekend's parades and marches.

I agree with the Deputy that when a Parades Commission, with its independent and statutory authority, makes a decision, it should be complied with. The parties I spoke to yesterday - the SDLP and Sinn Féin - both indicated that they would have been supportive of the commission irrespective of the decision it made. This weekend has the potential for serious conflict. I hope that calmer minds will see to it that that does not happen. The PSNI, for its part, has said it will implement the law in so far as the Parades Commission decision is concerned.

In so far as the involvement of the British Government is concerned, I have had requests to make contact with the US as well in regard to maintaining a focus on having the Agreement implemented in full and pushed forward. I thank the Deputy for his question. For now, we are conscious of the potential implications of this. We are in contact with the British Government and the Northern Ireland parties and I hope those involved will see to it that there is no escalation of violence or outrageous behaviour, as has happened on a number of occasions. It is potentially very serious.

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