Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be very happy to raise the matter again with the British Prime Minister and report back to the Dáil on the human rights issue. Our justice committee will be known as the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Human Rights. It is an issue of considerable importance to us. I will advise the House on the points the Deputy has raised about the Human Rights Act 1998 in the Conservative Party policy document.

There will be a debate here tomorrow on the cross-party motion on the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and we continue to press the British Government for access to papers that have not been provided for all of these years. Deputy Adams is aware that a couple of years back, when we brought the relatives of the victims and the sole survivor of the Kingsmill killing here, I committed to making available any information about that on Garda files. It took quite a long time to get that through because of legal complications and so on, but that information was transmitted by the Garda personally to the Coroner’s office and is now part of that inquest, investigation and analysis. I have not seen the evidence and do not know whether it will add one way or another to the findings but it was an important signal to the British Government that the Irish Government was prepared to make available documentation hitherto unknown in that respect. It is important to say that we all recognise that the Republic is a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement and that was repeated time and again in respect of the agreements in between, most recently the Stormont Agreement.

There are differing views of the Brexit referendum in Britain. Some people say we should be negotiating a better deal. Some say if they vote to leave they will have to give a better deal afterwards. The legislation here is very clear, and the agreement was very clear, that this is a one off and if the British people decide to stay, the changes, opportunities and propositions agreed at the European Council will take immediate effect. If they decide to leave, there will be a minimum of two years’ negotiation. Deputy Adams may have referred somewhat obliquely to the point that while the Irish Government in a European context would continue to strongly support the value of Britain being a member of the European Union and would argue for that because it is a stronger union with Britain in it, we have no idea what the attitude of European countries would be towards Britain were it to decide to leave because they have had agreements with it since the 1970s and everybody could argue their case up and down. I could not speak for what any other country’s attitude might be towards Britain were the British electorate to decide to leave. Our view would be that the Union would continue to be a stronger union were Britain to continue to remain a member but I could not speak for other countries.

In respect of the cross-Border facilities, we agree with the Deputy and have raised it with the Deputy First Minister on many occasions. The opportunity for us here over the past few years was not great, given the financial straitjacket the country was in, to assist in respect of the North-South infrastructure projects. Between now and 2020 almost €3 billion will be made available by the European Union towards Northern Ireland for the Peace and INTERREG facilities. People often forget that. They might have a different view of the scale of moneys being made available by the US through the American fund but there is €3 billion available over the next four years for Northern Ireland under the Peace and the INTERREG facilities. That is an important consideration given that Northern Ireland is an area coming out of conflict.

We have more peace walls than we have had for many years and there are still very fragile communities, particularly among young people who experience difficulties. That is why the PEACE and INTERREG funds were important in the considerations of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which we held in the first half of 2013, in negotiating the moneys concerned.

It is true that, as Deputy Adams is well aware, if Britain decides to leave the European Union, Northern Ireland would be the most adversely affected region. Ireland would be the country most affected, but Northern Ireland would be particularly severely hit. Every party has to make up its mind. The DUP has given its view on why it believes Britain should leave. I am glad other parties have a different view.

As Deputy Micheál Martin pointed out, there are possibilities for economic entities on the island of Ireland which could offer enhanced opportunities. First and Deputy First Ministers were made welcome in Brussels when we held the Presidency. They were introduced to trade delegations that were coming to Ireland or that we met abroad while promoting the island of Ireland, without any difference of opinion with regard to the companies being pursued by the First and Deputy First Ministers to obtain investment and create jobs in Northern Ireland. I hope we will be able to continue that.

It is 24 May. In less than a month, one of the most momentous decisions of the past 50 years will be made, namely, whether Britain continues to remain a strong and central member of the European Union. I hope it does. Between now and then we will do everything we can to encourage Irish people in Britain to vote to stay. If, by implication or information, the broader electorate have a view on that, I hope it will be a strong result in favour of Britain's remaining as a member of the European Union.

I will advise the House in respect of the human rights issue at a later stage.

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