Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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4. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has held with the Northern Secretary of State, the Northern Executive, Parades Commission and the PSNI in relation to the upcoming marching season in view of the flag protests over the past number of months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23489/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Contentious issues surrounding culture and identity necessarily feature in most of our discussions and contact in Northern Ireland, and particularly so in recent months. I can confirm that the specific issue of the upcoming marching season was reviewed during my bilateral discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers, MP, on 29 April in Belfast. It also featured in the joint meeting which the Secretary of State and I had with Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Peter Robinson, MLA, and with the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, MLA, later that day at Stormont Castle. It had also featured in discussions which the Taoiseach and I had with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in Washington DC over St. Patrick’s Day. Government officials working at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat in Belfast maintains contact with the full range of concerned parties, notably community groups, interface workers and public representatives who work to support peace and good relations during the annual marching season.

In these meetings, I expressed the Government’s concerns about the current situation. I have reiterated that it is essential that the determinations of the Parades Commission are fully respected and that the commission and the Police Service of Northern Ireland continue to receive full support from everyone. I know that this position enjoys unanimous support from all parties in the House. We all recognise that the Police Service of Northern Ireland faces a very challenging situation this marching season, as it has during the recent illegal street protests about Belfast City Council’s December decision on flag flying. It is a great shame that such scenes continue to strain community relations in Belfast and damage Northern Ireland’s well deserved international reputation as a place to visit and do business.

Resolving contentious parades and other aspects of culture and identity requires a renewed commitment to the values of equality and mutual respect which are central to the peace process. In that context, I welcome the announcement last week by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of a new initiative entitled, Together: Building a United Community. I call for all parties to engage in resolving sectarianism and to prioritise support for peace and greater understanding ahead of all other considerations during the marching season ahead.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. Parades and flags are major divisive issues in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, in 2013 parading remains a major risk to civic stability in the North. I live near the Border and have contacts in the North. I speak to people every weekend from County Fermanagh and elsewhere. There is a lot of nervousness about the upcoming parading season. The season started earlier than usual this year, around Christmas. We have had the fall-out from the flags protest violence in December and January. From contacts in Belfast and media reports, it appears that some communities such as the Short Strand enclave in east Belfast have effectively endured a continuous parading season because of the fall-out of the flags feud. That is not acceptable for any community. It also raises tensions.

Does the Tánaiste agree that the decision of the First Minister last summer to co-sign an open letter condemning the Parades Commission and its determination sent the wrong message? It was a wrong decision and sent the wrong message to all communities who want peace and stability. Did the Tánaiste and Taoiseach raise that with First Minister when they met him? People who are part of the process cannot co-sign a letter objecting to a determination by the Parades Commission and nor can the First Minister. A determination by the Parades Commission is a legal document.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Government and the British Government are strongly of the view that the Parades Commission must be strongly supported, that its determinations must be respected, and that we support the Police Service of Northern Ireland in the implementation of same.

We must look forward to the parading season this year. While a significant number of discussions are taking place at local level to resolve parading issues, it is fair to say that the recent flag protests have unfortunately raised tensions between both communities and might make it more difficult to promote dialogue and engagement on contentious parades in the coming months. Therefore, I urge all parties to engage with local residents and to identify compromise solutions that respect the wishes of both marchers and community residents. For our part, we will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive and political leaders in Northern Ireland to formulate a strategic framework.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I agree entirely with An Tánaiste that the Parades Commission has to be supported by both Governments and every member of the community in Northern Ireland. A clear message must go out to everybody in Northern Ireland that the Parades Commission can only continue in its vitally important work if it is not second-guessed, especially by public representatives who have a responsibility to be leaders in their community. No strand of political opinion can be allowed to undermine determinations that have legal status.

I am familiar with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the commitment, effort and knowledge they bring to their work with local communities. I am sure they are very active. A recent report indicated the concerns of Dolores Kelly, MLA, about the starting point for a parade in the Garvaghy Road area on 8 June. The clear message must again go out that the Government and the British Government will not tolerate any strand of political opinion second-guessing the Parades Commission or not giving their full support. The stability of society in Northern Ireland and the welfare of citizens is much too important to be second-guessed by people who do not like particular determinations on certain dates.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The best way to resolve parades issues is directly between the organisers and local residents. We have seen that work successfully for many parades. In the absence of such agreement it then falls to the Parades Commission to make a determination on how a parade should be organised and the various conditions attaching to it. I am very clear in that regard, as is Secretary of State Villiers. We have both expressed our view in the discussions we have had with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, and with other political leaders in Northern Ireland. Our view is that the determinations of the Parades Commission must be respected. That is the purpose of the commission. There can be no equivocation or second-guessing of the determinations of the Parades Commission. That is the arrangement that is in place for dealing with issues relating to parades. There is a big parade on 21 June - the Tour of the North; the Battle of the Somme commemorations are on 7 July, there are the 12 July commemorations, the Apprentice Boys parade in Derry is on 10 August and the parade in Rasharkin is on 16 August.

There is a long parades season ahead and of course there are many other parades planned for various venues. I urge that discussions take place between the organisers and residents where there are issues to be resolved, that efforts are made to resolve them and that when the Parades Commission makes a determination, it is respected by everybody.