Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte fosta roimh ár gcuairteoirí. Tá nasc stairiúil maith idir mhuintir na hÉireann agus mhuintir na Spáinne agus na Catalóine. I also want to welcome our visitors to the Public Gallery. There are longstanding links between the people of Spain, Catalonia and Ireland. Sinn Féin appreciates and celebrates those links. The dispute between the people of Catalonia and the Spanish state over independence will only be resolved through dialogue. Thus far the Spanish Government is refusing to open a dialogue without the Catalans acquiescing to pre-conditions, including an acceptance that any talk of independence is illegal under Spanish law. That is the wrong approach. I make no apologies for saying it. It was not that long ago it was illegal to expound a united Ireland or anti-partitionist view. The crisis has deepened so the refusal by the Spanish Government to embrace dialogue is justified by it on the premise that these issues are an internal matter for the Spanish state. That is echoed by some of the comments made here today. It is exactly the pretext that was used by the British state for decades to prevent the scrutiny of British rule in the North. The international community, especially the European Union, must directly engage with the Spanish and Catalan Governments and seek to broker a mediation process to hammer out an agreement that is democratic and peaceful and which avoids conflict. Any refusal to do this puts at risk the possibility of reaching a peaceful solution to a very complex situation.

The Taoiseach has said in the Chamber that he supports the need for dialogue and negotiations. He has also said he would put his views and concerns directly to Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy at an appropriate time. The European Council meetings at the end of last week provided such an opportunity. The Taoiseach or Minister should outline the approach the Taoiseach took. Did the Taoiseach promote the imperative of dialogue as a means of addressing the problems, as he said he would here? Did he speak directly to the Spanish Prime Minister on this matter as he committed to do? He did that without being asked; he volunteered to do it. Did he impress upon Prime Minister Rajoy the view of the Irish Government that inclusive talks present the best way forward? If it is the view of the Irish Government, one would presume it would seek to promote that view.

We know dialogue works and we know the broad principles that are involved. A process must be inclusive with all parties treated as equals and all mandates respected. They are the principles that worked in our situation. All issues must be on the agenda and nothing agreed until everything is agreed. There should be no preconditions and no vetoes. Participants should be prepared to take risks to engage in initiatives. That is a matter for the respective parties. There should be no predetermined outcome and no attempt to preclude any outcome. There should be a timeframe. The role of the international community is vital because international experience shows the participation and encouragement of international actors in any process of negotiation and mediation can be the difference between success and failure.

I will make the point on our Government and Taoiseach again. Did the Taoiseach impress on those at the European Council meeting the notion that dialogue is the only way to resolve the crisis? Could we be given an account of how he did it? That is a very modest thing to do given the broad acceptance everywhere that we Irish have at least resolved matters. We did it through talking. Have we persuaded others to do that?

See this speech in context