Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that the Government has supported and encouraged efforts aimed at securing peace and stability in the Basque country. The Government welcomed the declaration by ETA of October 2011 that the organisation had decided on "a definitive cession of its armed activity". I issued a statement last Saturday welcoming the decision of ETA to decommission its weapons.

I stated that this was a significant and welcome step towards the disbandment of a terrorist organisation that has inflicted great suffering on the people in two fellow EU member states, France and Spain.

I repeat here that democracy and dialogue are the only legitimate means of resolving conflict. We must also never forget the victims of terrorism; those who have died and those for whom pain and suffering still endure.

We will, of course, continue to support peace and stability but further steps which might be taken are not primarily matters for the Irish Government. I assure the House that we will keep a close eye on the situation in the Basque region and in France and Spain, as well as on the consequences in respect of that peace process.

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