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

Before elaborating on the detail of the agreement we reached last week, I will briefly recall where we stood just two and a half months ago. A situation had evolved, and at the time I described the power-sharing institutions as being at the edge of the precipice. A collapse of the institutions was a very real prospect, an outcome that would have represented a grave setback for the delivery of peace, prosperity and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

With the strong support of the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, we worked with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to urge the political leadership in Northern Ireland to pull back from the brink and to resume round-table talks aimed at resolving the impasse. I acknowledge the contribution of all parties around the table in this regard, and the US Administration and Senator Gary Hart in particular. Although the US did not directly participate at round-table level, it made a very important contribution to bring matters towards agreement. After ten weeks of hard work and commitment on the part of everybody involved I believe we have reached an agreement which may not in itself be a final destination but represents a significant step towards normalising politics and society in Northern Ireland. I agree with Deputy Adams and I believe the stark consequences of not reaching agreement was not a road down which any party wanted to proceed.

We have achieved a credible roadmap for implementing many aspects of the Stormont House Agreement and tackling the continuing impact of paramilitarism. Not only have we moved away from the edge of the precipice, we have also found firmer ground on which to build our efforts to bring greater reconciliation and economic prosperity to the people of Northern Ireland and to communities throughout the island.

I will now turn to what the agreement contains. It sets out a plan for ending paramilitarism and tackling the scourge of organised crime. Significantly, the parties have made a firm commitment to achieving a society free of paramilitarism, to working firmly for the disbandment of all paramilitary organisations and their structures and to challenging paramilitary attempts to control communities. A strategy to achieve this will be put in place by the Northern Ireland Executive and an international body will be established to report on progress on ending continuing paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland.

The Irish and British Governments and the Northern Ireland Executive have also committed to reinforce our efforts to tackle organised crime associated with the legacy of paramilitarism. We have agreed to establish a joint agency task force to identify strategic priorities for combating cross-Border organised crime and to oversee operational co-ordination. In addition, a trilateral cross-Border ministerial meeting will take place next month between my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice, Mr. Ford, and the Secretary of State, Ms Villiers, to agree new measures to enhance law enforcement co-operation further.

This agreement is also about financial stability and reform. Pursuing economic prosperity and job creation is critical to building a peaceful society in Northern Ireland. In recognition of this, the Irish Government has committed to providing further funding for important infrastructure projects, such as the A5 road as well as for investment to stimulate economic growth in the north west. This is not only important for economic development in Northern Ireland but also for building an all-island economy that creates jobs and ensures prosperity. It complements the Government's focus on spreading the benefits of a recovering economy to the regions and our series of regional Action Plans for Jobs.

It is a matter of regret to me that the fresh start agreement did not include agreement on the implementation of the provisions of the Stormont House Agreement dealing with the legacy of the past. I share the deep disappointment of the victims and survivors of the Troubles and their families, including the Ballymurphy, Kingsmill, Dublin and Monaghan and Pat Finucane groups, and many others well-known to us on all sides of the House.

I am particularly disappointed given that great progress was made during the talks on many of the details of the establishment of the new institutions. I make it clear that we were very close to agreement on a range of issues, including ensuring the operational independence of the historical investigations unit and guaranteeing the anonymity and inadmissibility of information provided to the independent commission for information retrieval, ICIR, while making clear that there would be no amnesty for any criminal offences. I will repeat that, lest there be any misunderstanding: there will be no amnesty for any criminal offences. We also managed to reach a large degree of agreement on placing the implementation and reconciliation group on a statutory footing and settling on the purpose and functions of the this group. Much progress was made on the detail and operation of the oral history archive. The Irish and British Governments have also agreed on the international agreement necessary for the establishment of the ICIR. Therefore, many of the building blocks are in place for the establishment of the new legacy institutions. The crucial issue where agreement could not be found was on striking the right balance between the disclosure needs of families and the national security requirements being sought by the British Government. In the absence of agreement on this key issue, my expressed preference during the talks was to reflect in the Fresh Start agreement the range of legacy issues on which agreement was possible and reached, while also frankly acknowledging the area of disagreement where further progress was required. I felt this was important to demonstrate the amount of work done and agreed on legacy issues throughout the talks and to show victims and survivors that all parties involved were very serious about reaching a final agreement on positive outcomes for them. It was not the Irish Government that pressed for an agreement that completely left aside the legacy of the past. However, when it became clear that the choice was between having an agreement that uncoupled the past and having no agreement at all, the Government, with great reluctance, agreed to have a less comprehensive deal that would at least ensure that the devolved institutions were protected and placed on a stable and sustainable footing.

What is important now is that we find a way forward that banks the good progress already achieved during the talks and secures a solution to the remaining key issue of disclosure and national security in a way that meets the concerns of the victims, the survivors and their families. Leadership and greater flexibility will be required if we are to reach agreement on the matter. I remain convinced that the institutional framework agreed in the Stormont House Agreement offers the best possible way of bringing whatever healing is possible to those affected by the Troubles. For this to be achieved, it is vital that these new institutions have the trust and confidence of the victims and survivors and their families. The needs of victims and survivors will therefore remain central to the Government’s work.

I am determined that all efforts be made to find a solution to the key outstanding issues. My officials and I will continue to be in contact with representatives of the victims' groups, some of whom I met last night, over the coming weeks so that their views can be reflected in upcoming discussions between the Governments and with the Northern Ireland political parties. We are determined to achieve the establishment of these institutions so that we can in a fundamental way deal with the past, foster reconciliation and build a society for future generations that is free from hurt and suspicion. This is essential if the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement is to be realised.

Work will therefore continue on the vital issue of dealing with the legacy of the past, but the Fresh Start agreement is none the less a further milestone in Northern Ireland's journey towards long-term peace and stability. It tackles, once and for all, the destabilising role of paramilitary organisations. It places the institutions on a sound financial footing, which is so important for economic stability and development, and provides enhanced support for building an all-island economy, creating employment and prosperity for all.

I acknowledge the contribution and leadership of Mr. Peter Robinson, having regard to his recent decision to retire. I wish him well. I also acknowledge the work and leadership over a long number of years of Dr. Alasdair McDonnell, the former SDLP leader. I join with the Tánaiste in wishing good health from our Parliament to Mr. John Hume and his family, acknowledging as we always do his major role in the peace process. Deputy Martin asked the Government to re-engage in the process, but there has been no disengagement. The Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, and I, along with our respective party and ministerial colleagues, continue to regard this issue as being of extreme importance. Now it is time for implementation of what we agreed. It is time for the Northern Ireland Executive and the respective parties to show that they can deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.

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