Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join Deputy Adams in welcoming the announcement by the group styled as Óglaigh na hÉireann of its decision to end violence. I also recognise the involvement of trade union leaders, politicians and others in that engagement.

The Government, with the new British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, has initiated a new series of talks between the parties in Northern Ireland. That will be facilitated by the two Governments and we will be strongly engaged in it, acting in our role as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement. Indeed, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, will be in Belfast tomorrow with the Secretary of State and will engage urgently with all the parties to seek a way forward. Contact has also been made between the Prime Minister, Mrs. May's, office and mine. Both of us will be attending the same conference this week and perhaps will have an opportunity to speak there. In that context I will emphasise my commitment to the talks process and to getting the assembly and the executive back up and running, which all of us wish to see happen. Certainly, if personal engagement by me and the Prime Minister will make a difference, we will be happy to do that. We have made that commitment in the past.

In terms of Irish citizens in Northern Ireland and nationalist people who consider themselves to be Irish not being left behind, that is something I said and meant. I will follow up on it by meeting non-political people and leaders from civic society in Northern Ireland in the weeks and months ahead. I hold the view that there is no right that anyone enjoys in Ireland or Britain that should not be afforded to people of both communities in Northern Ireland. People in Ireland and in Britain can marry their same-sex partners and there is no reason that Northern Ireland should be an exception in this regard. The same applies to issues such as language legislation and language rights. If these apply in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, they should also apply in Northern Ireland. However, the best way to achieve that is not having it dictated from Dublin or London but through the parties elected to represent the people of Northern Ireland coming together to form an administration. I hope they will do that.

While I firmly agree that rights are important, and Sinn Féin has put rights at the top of its list of priorities, there are other important matters as well. Brexit is one example. It is essential that there is a Northern Ireland voice on Brexit as we enter into the talks on the withdrawal agreement and the agreement that will set out the new relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. There are other practical, day-to-day issues that affect Northern Ireland. I have read about what is happening in the health service in Northern Ireland. The issues there are quite similar to the ones we are facing. Of course, the Sinn Féin leader in the North, Michelle O'Neill, was the health Minister in Northern Ireland up until a few months ago. I also read about the problems in the public finances in Northern Ireland, which are very different from the ones here, and the big and difficult decisions that will have to be made by the parties forming the executive to put the public finances back in order. A Sinn Féin person was in charge of those finances up until a few weeks ago.

Yes, I absolutely agree on rights, but taking responsibility is also important. We should never use demands for rights as a means to allow us not to take responsibility as well.

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