Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I thank the Deputy for what I believe has been a very useful debate. It has served to highlight the very worrying issue of the continuing impact and legacy of paramilitarism and to underscore the continuing efforts of this Government, as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, to address this issue as part of the ongoing round-table talks in Northern Ireland.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, together with the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, is in Belfast today and tomorrow to continue working with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the parties to reach a successful outcome to the current talks. This should include not only agreement on a way forward to tackle the impact and legacy of paramilitarism, but also agreement on the full implementation of the Stormont House Agreement.

It is hoped that the British assessment, together with the Garda assessment, will provide fresh momentum to the current talks. The focus of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade will continue to be on ensuing an outcome to the talks that protects the Good Friday Agreement and the power-sharing institutions. He remains hopeful that with committed collective engagement by the parties and the support of both Governments, there can be a successful outcome to the talks in the next few weeks that agrees a way forward on the full implementation of the Stormont House Agreement and tackles, once and for all, the legacy of paramilitarism.

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