Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

3 o’clock

I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 51 to 53, inclusive, together.

I wish to apprise the House of my meeting with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire, on 14 February. I did deal with the issue of Brexit, particulars of which we probably have already discussed.

On the current political situation in Northern Ireland, the Secretary of State and I shared the view that it was of the utmost importance that the conditions would be in place for a power-sharing Executive to be established as soon as possible following the Assembly elections next month. I emphasised to the Secretary of State that as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, both Governments had a role to play in supporting the effective operation of the devolved institutions and in upholding both the letter and the spirit of the agreement as a whole.

I also discussed with the Secretary of State last week the imperative of dealing with the range of issues related to the legacy of the Troubles in a way that meets the needs and expectations of victims and survivors and of wider society through the comprehensive legacy framework provided for under the Stormont House Agreement. I reiterated my determination that this be established at the earliest opportunity.

Regarding engagement with the political parties in Northern Ireland, I have in recent months been in regular contact with the leaders of each of the main parties as the crisis in the Executive has deepened. I met last month with the DUP leader, Arlene Foster, a Sinn Féin delegation led by Martin McGuinness and spoke by phone to the leaders of the SDLP, UUP and Alliance Party. I also had the chance to hear from and engage with members of Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Alliance Party at last week's civic dialogue plenary meeting in Dublin Castle and at the successful sectoral dialogue on human rights in Maynooth university last week. The Taoiseach has also been actively engaged and was in direct contact with the British Prime Minister, as well as with the leaders of both the DUP and Sinn Féin.

I have agreed with the Secretary of State that both Governments should continue to work closely together in the weeks to come, looking ahead to the post-election period when a new power-sharing Executive will need to be formed. We have also urged the parties to conduct their election campaigns in a calm and respectful way, conscious that polarising rhetoric and frayed relationships will damage the prospects of forming an Executive after the votes have been counted and the results announced.

We must all be mindful that effective devolved Government, underpinned by a genuine spirit of partnership, is what the people of Northern Ireland voted for in 1998 and what they expect their politicians to deliver. After the election, it will therefore fall to the parties to form a power-sharing Executive, and this will require the parties to find a way forward on issues which contributed to the calling of the election in the first instance. The Government is always ready to support and assist the parties in any way we can. Our commitment as a co-guarantor of the agreement is a constant one.

I assure Deputy Darragh O'Brien that I specifically raised the issue of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. I acknowledge the fact I go to these talks, discussions and meetings fully armed and conscious of the Dáil motions on this issue that have been passed, in particular the motion of 25 May last year following 42nd anniversary of the bombings on 17 May. I assure the Deputy that I will continue to raise this issue. I will continue to engage directly on the matter of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and pursue all possible avenues to achieve progress on this issue, consistent with the mandate given to me being in the form of a request by the Dáil. I hope we can bring some measure of closure to this. I have not only raised and discussed this issue regularly with the Secretary of State since his appointment last summer but I can tell the House that there have been regular meetings at official level between my officials and the officials of the Secretary of State with a view towards coming back with an element of progress that I am sure everybody in the House wishes to see advanced.

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