Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I share the concern expressed by Deputy Smith and others about the incidents of violence last night on the streets of Belfast. I believe it is important that the rule of law obtain and I am pleased to report this morning that a number of arrests have been made, charges have been laid and those people will be brought before the courts at the earliest opportunity.

It is important we all use our collective effort and context to ensure we can influence society in Northern Ireland and, in particular, those who have not embraced the contents of the Good Friday Agreement, the Stormont House Agreement and other agreements. It is only through our collective efforts and through implementation in the form of progress across a range of issues that we can have in Northern Ireland the type of political stability that is appropriate for certainty and for a stable and peaceful society. Notwithstanding the fact there is something of a logjam in parts of the agreement - I refer specifically to the issues of welfare, finance and budgets - I urge parties to use their best endeavours in a way that perhaps has not been evident over recent months. Other aspects of the agreement refer to the legacy of the past and to the unimplemented aspects of previous agreements, upon which we can make progress and upon which we in this jurisdiction can make progress, as we are doing, in drafting legislation dealing with the very sensitive, personal and very important issue of finding a new departure in respect of the issues of the past.

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