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

It is essential that progress is made without further delay with the issues that form part of the Haass talks, namely parades, flags, emblems and contending with the past. I hope the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, and the UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ms Theresa Villiers, MP, will be able to report progress to both Governments, as once again there is a very tight timeline with a British general election due in the first half of next year. I welcome the fact that both Governments have become engaged in these talks over the past few months, as I stated consistently in this House before that the lack of engagement by both Governments at the time of the Haass talks was a missed opportunity.

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