Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 13, inclusive, together.

I attended the British-Irish Council summit hosted by the Isle of Man Chief Minister in Douglas in November last year. We had an open and detailed discussion on the improving economic situation in member Administrations and reviewed the various initiatives in place to stimulate our economies. We discussed the benefits and increasing importance of digital participation in everyday life, including examples of work under way in the different council jurisdictions to promote digital inclusion. We also reviewed the work under way across each of the 12 council work sectors since the last summit in June 2014. I met the Scottish First Minister, Ms Sturgeon, briefly, congratulated her again on her election and welcomed her to her first British-Irish Council summit as First Minister. I also met the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ms Villiers, on the margins of the summit. At the time, efforts to make progress in the Northern Ireland talks were well under way. I look forward to hosting the next council summit in Ireland. It will take place in Dublin Castle in June this year.

The case of the hooded men was not discussed at the British-Irish Council, nor did I discuss the matter with the UK Prime Minister at the December European Council meeting. However, Members will be aware that the Government decided in December to ask the European Court of Human Rights to revise its judgment in this case. The decision was taken following a review of thousands of recently released documents and taking account of legal advice received.

The question of dealing with the past, including the Finucane and Ballymurphy cases, featured in my discussions with the Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron, in Stormont on 11 and 12 December. I have constantly stated that the commitment to have a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane, as provided for in the Weston Park Agreement of 2001, should be honoured. On 12 February the Pat Finucane case was the subject of a Topical Issue debate, during which the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Flanagan, reiterated the Government's position, informing the House that he had raised the matter with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ms Villiers, again at their meeting in Dublin on 11 February.

I understand an all-party motion in support of the Ballymurphy families and related legacy issues remains to be agreed by the party Whips. This is being redrafted in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade following the Stormont House Agreement.

The Government fully supports the all-party motions of July 2008 and May 2011 urging the British Government to allow access by an independent judicial figure to all original documents in its possession relating to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings. The issue has been raised with the British Government on numerous occasions, including most recently by the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, during his meeting with the Secretary of State on 11 February. She assured the Minister that she will consider anew how the British Government might respond to the Dáil motions.

I welcome the continued all-party support for the campaign on behalf of the Dublin-Monaghan families. The Justice for the Forgotten campaign, which supports victims and their families and operates as a project of the Pat Finucane Centre, receives grant support from the reconciliation fund operated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The funding will assist Justice for the Forgotten with its important work.

Last week, I outlined to the House the key elements of the new framework for dealing with the past under the Stormont House Agreement as well as its significance for victims and survivors of the Northern Ireland conflict, including those in this jurisdiction. We remain committed in the programme for Government to the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Working with the British Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, we will continue to emphasise the need to implement outstanding issues and to protect and sustain the political institutions and principles of that and subsequent agreements. We will continue to promote greater North-South co-operation, including the development of the North-South institutions, with a particular emphasis on economic and infrastructural development in the Border regions.

As Deputies are aware, the main forum for advancing North-South co-operation is the North-South Ministerial Council. There were 24 meetings during 2014 covering all sectors, including two plenary sessions and one institutional meeting. The focus of Ministers throughout 2014 was on identifying priorities for co-operation that could help efforts to support economic recovery and job creation as well as ensuring the best use of public funds and the most effective delivery of services for citizens. In line with the Stormont House Agreement, a report on the sectoral priorities identified during all of the ministerial discussions will be brought to the next North-South Ministerial Council institutional meeting, which takes place tomorrow in Belfast.

Under the Stormont House Agreement the Government has committed to several measures which will contribute to economic renewal in Northern Ireland as well as being beneficial to the all-island economy. These include £50 million in financial support to complete the A5 road project in the north west and a commitment to further progress the north-west gateway initiative. The Government also remains committed to the Narrow Water bridge project and to developing the Ulster Canal. The Government made a decision in regard to an element of that project today.

In conjunction with their Northern counterparts, Ministers will continue to identify and act on opportunities to co-operate in several areas of mutual economic benefit, including co-operation on an all-island bid for the Rugby World Cup in 2023.

I expect to chair the North-South Ministerial Council plenary meeting here in June.

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