Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Adams for his comments. He can take it from me that, while he might feel we have not done all that we should do in respect of Northern Ireland, we take a real interest in it. He may be able to help us because there seems to be an attitude in Northern Ireland that says that Deputy Adams, as the leader or president of his party, does not allow the Deputy First Minister to make decisions on the issues that arise in the North particularly in regard to budgetary matters. I do not know whether this is true but I have listened to political comment from the North to the effect that when the discussions take place the matter goes before the ard-comhairle of the Deputy’s party and that he might have a greater interest in issues in the Republic than in putting through the decisions he has to make. That may or may not be true. I do not know.

In so far as the Government is concerned, I received the Deputy’s extensive list, from the Good Friday Agreement on. It contains several issues which would run for a couple of years. There are priorities, however, and we have a duty and responsibility as co-guarantor for Northern Ireland to stand up for the Good Friday Agreement. Champion or not, I would like to think that we could make some progress whenever the agenda is determined.

I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, about this. Obviously, he is meeting Ms Villiers today. We need to look at what we can do. We should see whether everyone is willing to move this forward.

I mentioned to Deputy Adams last week that I am concerned about the new issues for the judicial process and the legal people. Even though there is a new generation in Northern Ireland, the deep residue of all the issues of the past - the atrocities, the disappeared and all these things - needs to be dealt with. We need to explore how that can be done in the follow-through of these talks. As the Deputy is well aware, if all that past is translated into the facilities of the present, it will poison the system for the future. We need to look imaginatively at how the reservoir of unconcluded emotion is released. While it will not bring back anyone from either side who is gone, it is an issue that needs to be addressed.

I assure Deputy Adams that I believe it is possible to do something about parades and flags. The Parades Commission has to be strongly supported. I have discussed this with the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister. There is something we can achieve. There can be a practicality in regard to flags. The question of the past is an issue we need to address.

I would like to comment on what might happen if this does not work out and there is a failure to implement the decisions that need to be made from a budgetary perspective in Northern Ireland. The cuts are beginning to take effect in the PSNI. Libraries and other places are closing. If that continues, it could reach the point at which the Assembly collapses, which no one wants to see. In such circumstances, there would be further elections. This would raise the possibility of direct rule, which no one wants to see either. It is a case of deciding to get on with the business, in so far as that can be done. The Governments need to work assiduously together with all the parties to support the implementation of the agreements as we are bound to do.

Deputy Adams has my word that we will give the time and the effort to achieve progress where that can be done. There has to be a willingness on all sides to move it forward. It might be helpful if the Deputy, as the president and leader of his party, could clarify that there are no restrictions on the Deputy First Minister when he is making decisions in that role on behalf of the Assembly and in the interests of moving on. I understand the challenge in the case of welfare reform, which is a big issue in Northern Ireland, as it is down here. I explained to the Deputy First Minister the other day the nature of the changes we had to make here. We can support the difficult challenges arising from some of these decisions. It is a matter for the Assembly to make those decisions and it is a matter for this Government, as one of the co-guarantors, to work with the British Government and all the parties to move this forward. The Deputy has my word on that. It is to be hoped the agenda will be determined quickly and we will get these talks under way. We will give it our best.

See this speech in context