Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 9: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the outcome of his meeting with a Sinn Féin delegation on 10 March 2008. [11300/08]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 10: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his most recent contracts with the political parties in Northern Ireland. [11301/08]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 11: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with a Sinn Féin delegation in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11408/08]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 12: To ask the Taoiseach the discussions he had with political leaders in the context of the tenth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15228/08]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 13: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his contacts with the political parties in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17130/08]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 14: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the British Prime Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18721/08]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 15: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the British Prime Minister in Belfast on 8 May 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18730/08]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 16: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the Northern Ireland investment conference on 8 May 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18731/08]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 17: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his attendance at the investment conference in Northern Ireland on 8 May 2008 and his meeting with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown. [19446/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 17, inclusive, together.

On 10 March, my predecessor, the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, met Gerry Adams and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, in Government Buildings. During the meeting, they discussed the devolution of policing and justice, the upcoming investment conference and general North-South issues.

In the period around the tenth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, he participated in events both here and in Belfast, including a conference held by the Institute of British Irish Studies in UCD, following which he met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Shaun Woodward, and a symposium on the Agreement in Belfast, which was attended by many of the participants in the negotiations which led to the Agreement.

On Thursday, 8 May, I visited Belfast where I participated in the US Northern Ireland investment conference. Before attending the conference, I had a bilateral meeting with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown, where we discussed matters relating to Northern Ireland and affirmed our commitment to the peace process. We both met the Northern Ireland First Minister, Dr. Ian Paisley, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, before addressing business leaders participating in the US investment conference. Dr. Paisley did a considerable job in leading his party into power sharing government. While considerable progress has been made during his time as First Minister, the St. Andrews Agreement has yet to be fully implemented. I believe the time is now right for his successor, Peter Robinson, to take the final steps towards full devolution through the transfer of powers on policing and justice and the implementation of what was agreed at St. Andrews.

The investment conference was an important opportunity to showcase what Northern Ireland has to offer international investors. In the course of the day, I also met US Special Envoy, Paula Dobriansky, who greatly assisted in the organisation of the conference, and the New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, and I had an opportunity to meet a number of party leaders and representatives in attendance

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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What is the Taoiseach's assessment of the possibility and timetable for the devolution of policing and justice functions to Northern Ireland? What is his expectation in that regard?

Has he received a communication from the Justice for the Forgotten group in respect of the Barron report and its wish for the tabling of an all-party motion in the House to give effect to and to promote the recommendations contained in the report?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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What report?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The report on the Dublin-Monaghan bombings.

What are the plans for the establishment of the North-South parliamentary body, which was contained in the Agreement?

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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May is the deadline for the transfer of policing and justice powers from the British Government in London to the Executive in Belfast. We are in the last few days in May. I welcome the Taoiseach's statement that the time is now right for the transfer of these powers, with which I fully concur. Is the Taoiseach aware the setting of a clear and realisable date for the transfer of these powers was crucial in winning nationalist republican support for engagement with the new policing structures in the North? In light of all of that and all that depends upon the delivery of commitments entered into under both agreements, what steps does he propose to take to help ensure the transfer of these powers proceeds over the remaining time, particularly given that there will be shortly a transfer of responsibility from the current First Minister to the First Minister designate, Peter Robinson? Will the transfer happen prior to the departure of Dr. Paisley? How soon after the taking up of office by Peter Robinson does the Taoiseach expect these powers to be transferred?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I will write to Deputy Gilmore regarding the Justice for the Forgotten issue because I do not have the information.

We are working hard to establish the North-South parliamentary body. It was envisaged the full complement of the institutional architecture of the Agreement should be implemented in the spirit and word of the Agreement. We have been quite patient and we have made every effort to overcome past reluctance by others to join such parliamentary bodies in the past. We had a problem with the body set up under the Anglo-Irish Agreement for many years. There is no principled objection. It is a question of bedding down the assembly during the course of this year and I hope people will approach these issues positively as quickly as possible and enable the parliamentary arm of the architecture to be used to its full potential.

Many of the breakthroughs we have witnessed were the result of parliamentary and local representatives contacts down the years where practical co-operative arrangements were arrived at and people were able to get on with joint approaches on a range of issues, which built confidence over time for much greater commitment and engagement on larger issues that have thankfully been resolved, we hope, to everyone's satisfaction. I attach importance to these issues, which are not pro forma ideas. They are important in sustaining contact and improving understanding over time and, thereby, helping people to build relationships that are of value not only in political terms, but also in human terms.

It is important the final element of the St. Andrews Agreement, that is, the devolution of policing and justice functions, which is outstanding, should proceed. We will continue our efforts in that regard. Progress needs to be made on a timeframe and operational framework and I hope that can be achieved as soon and as quickly as possible in line with the spirit of the St. Andrews Agreement.