Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If we had more time, the Department of the Taoiseach's strategy statement for 2016 to 2019 would demand and really deserves more rigorous and critical scrutiny than we can afford to it today. The Government's multiple failures regarding housing and homelessness, health, including mental health, and water, are just some of the issues that expose the inadequacy of the strategic objectives set out in the strategy statement.

The paper sets as one of the Department's core activities the formulation of policy with regard to the North. Negotiations are currently under way to restore the political institutions in the North and, indeed, are in their final and crucial week. Sinn Féin has met daily with the other Assembly parties and the two Governments as part of the implementation talks at Stormont Castle. There are significant obstacles in the way of progress, as the Taoiseach is aware. Not least of these is the British Government's deliberate blocking of money for the commencement of legacy inquests. All of the families involved have suffered the grievous loss of loved ones, and they have the basic right to expect that inquests will be held. Some have been waiting for over four decades. The British Government needs to stop hiding behind its claims of national security. An inquest is the least that a family should expect. It should not be subjected to a political veto, or indeed a negotiating ploy.

Does the Taoiseach accept that the funds should be released immediately to the Lord Chief Justice to proceed with his five-year plan to deal with the backlog of legacy inquests? Does the Taoiseach accept that under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, the British Government has a responsibility for delivering on equality and rights protections in the North and that thus far it has failed to do so? The issue of An Gaeilge and Acht na Gaeilge is a case in point. Will the Taoiseach report to the Dáil on his approach to the negotiations and his expectations for them with only days to go? The Taoiseach indicated in the United States last week that his future as Taoiseach was dependent on the Northern talks and the EU's decision on Brexit. Will he clarify what this means? What is his timeframe for the talks in Belfast?

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