Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Taoiseach as ucht an freagra sin a thabhairt dom. Tá súil agam go léireoidh an chéad tuairisc eile ar an dul chun cinn maidir le clár an Rialtais go bhfuil dul chun cinn suntasach á dhéanamh i dtaobh na mórcheisteanna atá ag cur isteach ar shaoránaigh ar fud an Stáit. Caithfidh mé a rá nach raibh mórán dul chun cinn le feiceáil sa tuairisc dheireanach, a bhí iontach éadrom.

Despite so-called new politics, the Government has failed to take decisive action on the big issues affecting citizens. In areas of significant challenge, such as housing, homelessness, the rent crisis, health and other areas, the Government is clearly failing. There has been little progress on areas for which the Taoiseach's Department has direct responsibility. The commitment in the programme for Government to fulfil the Government's mandate as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, as well as honouring the commitments of subsequent agreements, has not been fulfilled.

The Taoiseach will be aware that a Sinn Féin delegation met the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, today. We told her that her Government must bear the greater responsibility for the failure to reach agreement on the restoration of the institutions, but the Irish Government also has a role to play. We told her there is no public confidence in talks which will be more of the same; they need to be meaningful. We told her that the provision of the Irish language Act, marriage equality, a bill of rights and funding for legacy issues are all British Government obligations and commitments. Progress is only possible if the British Government honours these commitments.

The job of the Irish Government is to ensure that it honours those commitments. We told the British Prime Minister that direct rule is not an option and that she must look at the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement, in particular the establishment of an intergovernmental conference involving the Irish and British Governments. I ask the Taoiseach to also press this with the British Prime Minister. There is an urgent need for the two Governments to act to deliver equality. As the Taoiseach is aware, that is a joint responsibility under the Good Friday Agreement and it needs to happen without delay. Will the Taoiseach press his British counterpart to establish an intergovernmental conference, as is the next logical step under the Good Friday Agreement?

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