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

The community groups appreciate the support given by successive Irish Governments in supporting their work. To build on the substantial and important progress achieved in Northern Ireland through the Good Friday and St. Andrews Agreements, will the Minister agree it is essential to have progress on the outstanding aspects of the agreements? There is an onus on both Governments, as well as the Executive parties, to ensure progress on a range of issues. Will the Minister indicate to the House if there is any sign of progress in the re-establishment of the Civic Forum, the convening of the North-South consultative forum, the proposed Bill of rights, which needs to be agreed between the five Executive parties, and the Irish language Act? The recent comments of a DUP MP about the Irish language are utterly deplorable.

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