Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We know there is an inquiry into it. Having listened carefully to the Sinn Féin leader's speech, I know this issue was not mentioned, even as the precursor of the collapse of the institutions. I do not say that as a criticism. I am pointing out the reality that a range of new issues, including marriage equality and the Irish language Act, are being referenced even though they were not referenced when the institutions collapsed. That is fine. The Labour Party supports marriage equality and has done for decades. It was at our insistence that the 2011 programme for Government included a commitment to hold the referendum that was ultimately held in 2015.

Ba mhaith liom Acht na Gaeilge a fheiceáil sa Tuaisceart. The nature of politics is that it involves addressing issues and resolving problems through participation in the democratic institutions that are in place. There was a majority in favour of marriage equality in the Northern Ireland Assembly but, as Deputies will be aware, it was blocked by a petition of concern from the DUP. The DUP no longer has the numbers to block legislation on its own. Likewise, the Irish language Act will happen - it is only a matter of time. I ask all the parties, including Sinn Féin, to stop seeing reasons to avoid doing their democratic business and taking on democratic politics. They should stop looking to the Parliament in London to impose or block legislation that politicians in Northern Ireland are quite capable of delivering through the hard-won institutions that currently exist. It is essential for the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive to be back up and running as soon as possible. There is no issue preventing this that cannot be resolved in those institutions and through those institutions.

In the past 48 hours, we have seen what happens when there is a political void. Northern Ireland has been moving forward for the past 20 years, but now there is a risk of societal movement in the opposite direction. Catholic youths have thrown petrol bombs at the homes of Protestant pensioners. Others have been lying in wait to throw stones and petrol bombs at the PSNI. Shots were fired. In Belfast, the UVF threatened to organise disorder. I will give some examples of the serious disorder we have seen. There have been illegal bonfires in addition to those that were permitted. Vehicles have been set alight. Fire crews have been placed in peril. While I agree strongly with the joint statement from six of the political parties in Northern Ireland concerning the violence and the intimidation that followed, it would be more effective if it had emanated from a functioning Assembly in Northern Ireland. Policies must be implemented to improve the lives of young people from disadvantaged areas. Such people can be easy prey for the extremists who still exist in Northern Ireland and who seek to push others towards the path of violence.

The planned meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on 25 July next is an important opportunity for the Government to push for the restoration of Northern Ireland's democratic institutions. I appreciate that the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister have met recently, but I join others in saying it is a pity they will not be attending next month's meeting. I hope the Tánaiste will be able to impress on his counterparts the urgency of getting democratic politics back up and running in Northern Ireland. If that means some of the parties proceeding in the absence of others, so be it. If it means the rules have to change to some degree to provide for an Assembly with a more typical government-opposition divide, so be it too. This shameful avoidance of responsibility at such a crucial juncture in Northern Ireland's history - the current Brexit negotiations will have serious long-term ramifications for the people of this island as a whole - has led to Northern Ireland having no functioning Assembly and no Executive.

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