Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Given that in many parts of the world, families and communities are experiencing violence and living in war zones, the peace achieved in the North is very valuable. However, in the rush to have it signed so it could be called the Good Friday Agreement, issues were left unresolved. Those issues are still unresolved and are not resolved by the Stormont House Agreement. While they remain unresolved, they will lead to discord and disagreement.

The failure on the part of the Richard Haass group on flags was a continuation of the failure of previous groups. The agreement is kicking it to touch for another 18 months, and the same applies to the parades issue. Section F regarding the shared outcomes contains very fine rhetoric about principles, ideals, cultural expression and an "open, tolerant and mutually respectful society" and "shared identity". What do these fine words mean to those who feel disenfranchised, disengaged and disillusioned by politics in Northern Ireland? I am thinking of the men and women from both loyalist and republican communities who opposed the Good Friday Agreement, as is their right. Putting these people in prison on very lengthy remands, not giving them due process or bringing them to court, not engaging with them on the unresolved political issues and leaving very serious prison issues unresolved is not helping to create the conflict-free environment which the prisoners want. There is an obvious lack of will on many sides to resolve these issues.

Some £44 million went to the projects promoting reconciliation and they are doing very fine work. However, their work will continue to be incomplete while questions remain unanswered. Some 40 years after the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, issues still remain unresolved. The Justice for the Forgotten group are getting more publicity and recognition through the U2 concerts and music than they are getting here or in other political circles. They are tired of continually receiving the same answers from the Government: that the Irish Government fully supported the all-party Dáil motions in 2008 and 2011, that the British Government would provide full access to all the original documents, that the Irish Government had raised it with the British Government on a number of occasions, and that the British Government is actively considering how it can respond.

Collusion is an issue. While the new historical investigations unit and the independent commission are being presented as the way forward, there must be full, open disclosure. We must see how the flow of information can be facilitated. Irish voices must be stronger in challenging the British Government to demand a definition of "national security". While disclosure will embarrass the British Government, saving its blushes or embarrassment is not a matter of national security. There seems to be more emphasis on the infrastructure projects than on addressing these very important legacy matters and the way in which sections of society feel abandoned by the Good Friday Agreement.

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