Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I first join the Deputy in expressing my sympathy and that of the Government to the people of Turkey after the appalling terrorist attack at the international airport in Istanbul.

It was a vicious and indiscriminate attack which claimed more than 41 lives and left many people seriously injured. I agree with the Deputy that across Europe we need to reinforce our efforts against and combat the heightened threat posed by terrorists. The only way we can do this is by enhancing our collective collaboration and working at European level to take every initiative we can to deal with the terrorist threat. That means ever closer co-operation. As I told the House yesterday, I discussed this issue with the British Minister for Immigration and Security, Mr. James Brockenshire, MP, and we expressed our determination, in the first instance, to continue the very close co-operation between the United Kingdom and Ireland.

On the Deputy's points about public sector pay and the difficulties with a number of groups, including gardaí and teachers, we remain willing and available to engage with the Garda Representative Association, GRA, to find a resolution in the coming days. We want to take every possible initiative to come to an agreement such that people will remain within the Lansdowne Road agreement. Other unions have agreed to stay within it. I ask both organisations to reconsider and continue to engage in discussions in order that whatever obstacles remain to their rejoining the agreement can be dealt with. We remain willing and open to continuing that engagement. There have been good quality discussions with gardaí on a range of the issues that remain on the table. There are solutions, although there are some outstanding issues. We are appointing a new person to lead the discussions on the outstanding Haddington Road agreement issues that were not dealt with previously. We can still engage in discussions on how it can be taken forward to avoid the GRA withdrawing from the Lansdowne Road agreement. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform made it clear again yesterday that the Lansdowne Road agreement was essential and that we needed people to remain within it. Every effort will be made to deal with the current obstacles which the GRA considers are in place.

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