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

I agree.

We met yesterday the British Prime Minister, Ms Theresa May. We raised with her a range of matters in respect of the current efforts to restore the political institutions. One matter in particular that we raised with her, and that I want to raise with the Taoiseach this afternoon, is the decision the British Government has taken to include a statute of limitations or a proposal for amnesty covering all Troubles-related incidents involving British Crown forces in a new section in its consultation document, to be published shortly, on the Stormont House Agreement Bill.

We have lost count of the number of meetings we have had with British Government officials on matters pertaining to the Stormont House Agreement. At no stage was a statute of limitations or an amnesty mentioned by any of them as a possibility. Can the Taoiseach confirm that the Irish Government was also unaware of the British Government's intention to include this new section on legacy? This unilateral decision by the British Government is, I believe, in breach of the Good Friday Agreement and certainly of the Stormont House Agreement, which specifically dealt with legacy issues. It is worth recording for the House that, on reaching the latter agreement, it was possible for all parties to agree the mechanisms for truth recovery and legacy. That was a very important development. Does the Taoiseach share my view that the British Government's approach is unacceptable? It is evidence of bad faith in the midst of our efforts to restore the institutions.

The Sinn Féin delegation also told Ms May that direct rule is not an option and that she needs to look to the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement for the establishment of the Intergovernmental Conference involving the Irish and British Governments. In this respect, I welcome the Taoiseach's statement yesterday that, in the absence of an agreement on the institutions, he will be seeking a convening of the Intergovernmental Conference in the new year. What was the British Prime Minister's response to this proposal when the Taoiseach spoke to her last week in Gothenburg?

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