Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies very much. I acknowledge Deputy Brendan Smith's leadership of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly but also his leadership more broadly on North-South issues over a sustained period. I was delighted to attend the BIPA meeting. I was even more delighted that it was held in my constituency. The Deputy could not have known I was going to be Taoiseach at that time, so it worked out very well for everybody. It was great to be there and see the deep bonds of friendship. As all of us in this House know, the best way to embed peace is through interpersonal relationships. The role Deputy Smith has played in that regard should be commended, as should the cross-Border projects he referenced on which he worked with Ms Arlene Foster and others. I am pleased that representatives from the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee from the House of Commons are here. I take that point about the importance of senior British engagement at BIPA plenary sessions. I will certainly engage with counterparts in the UK on that in the appropriate way.

I am very pleased the shared island funding is making a real impact with regard to the A5. I am conscious that, only last week, we saw another very sad loss of life on that road. There is a process going on in the North that Minister O'Dowd and others need to follow, which I do not want to cut across. For our part, however, the very substantial funding we have provided will make a difference.

I take seriously the points the Deputy made about the 50th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. I am happy to continue to engage with him and appropriately with the British Government in that regard.

To Deputies Tully and Ó Murchú, the view of Government is very clear regarding legacy issues. It has been led by my colleague, the Tánaiste, as Minister for Foreign Affairs. We did not wish to find ourselves in this place. We exhausted all other avenues. On 17 January, the Government did file an interstate case against the United Kingdom with the European Court of Human Rights. The application makes clear our Government's strong concerns that victims and family members who spent decades fighting for an effective investigation into their case are having all existing avenues to truth and justice shut down. That case is now with the European Court of Human Rights at admissibility stage. That is where the current update stands.

With regard to migration, as Deputy Ó Murchú said, it is not a function for the Northern Ireland Executive but a function for the British Government. The First Minister, deputy First Minister and I did have useful conversations about the importance of sharing information and data between our various officials, the importance of continued official engagement and acknowledging the good and important collaboration that happens very regularly between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána on many issues of mutual concern, including protection and security on the island of Ireland.

See this speech in context