Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We must work continually to ensure the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. We have all been mandated to implement that international agreement through the referendums held in the North and the South in May 1998, both of which were overwhelmingly endorsed by the two electorates. The successor agreements, namely, the St. Andrews, Fresh Start, Stormont House and New Decade, New Approach agreements, also need to be implemented. The Irish and British Governments and the Northern Ireland Executive are obliged to make progress with urgency on the issues agreed. Urgency on the part of some of the stakeholders has sadly been lacking over the years.

Among the many benefits of the Good Friday Agreement have been the development of the all-Ireland economy and the major growth in cross-Border trade. Peace and stability have enabled those welcome developments, leading to much greater integration of the economies, North and South. There is still so much more that can be done to generate more cross-Border economic activity and create much-needed employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas and the Border region, North and South. Such economic development must be underpinned by the prioritisation of much-needed additional infrastructural investment in areas such as Cavan and Monaghan.

The protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland agreed in the context of Brexit provides important safeguards to protect the Good Friday Agreement. We need to protect the protocol. We need it to work for Northern Ireland and all the rest of our island. We must recognise that there are challenges in adapting to the protocol. The EU, governments and statutory agencies must all work within the framework to put in place solutions. Full engagement between all stakeholders is needed to deal with teething problems that have arisen. This is particularly urgent for some businesses, such as those in the agrifood sector, with new requirements taking effect from 1 April. The shared island fund, worth €500 million over five years, is very welcome and will be a key catalyst in helping to realise the potential of the Good Friday Agreement in addressing challenges on an all-Ireland basis.

Legacy issues need to be prioritised anew. Sadly, there are so many Troubles-related atrocities and deaths that have not been comprehensively addressed. The perpetrators of so many heinous crimes, including the Dublin–Monaghan bombings and the Belturbet bombing of December 1972, have never been brought to justice. Not alone has nobody been brought to justice for these murders but the grieving families have not got the truth about who planned and carried out the abominable crimes. It is almost 50 years, or half a century, since some of the heinous crimes took place so we need the British Government to co-operate fully and ensure there is a thorough and comprehensive investigation into them, particularly the Dublin–Monaghan bombings and the bombing in Belturbet in December 1972.

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