Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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5. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of the fact that the Government is a joint and co-equal guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the way his Department plans to support the re-established leaders' talks in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28442/14]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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My question is similar to the one which was put by Deputy Smith. I table the question ahead of the party leaders' talks in the North this week. Unfortunately, we have seen a real deterioration in the peace process in the North. We have had the Haass talks and resolutions which the British Government and sections of unionism never fully endorsed. Many believe that let the Unionists clearly off the hook. To move away from the script, I ask the Tánaiste in relation to the talks themselves what role the Irish Government will play. Will the Government be pressing the British Government to engage more with the peace process?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Government, as guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, will continue its close and ongoing involvement in the talks in line with our support for effective devolved power-sharing government in Northern Ireland and for fair and comprehensive mechanisms to deal with parades, flags and identity issues and the legacy of the past. The modalities of this next phase of the talks are a matter for the parties and are under development currently. In that context, the specific role of the two Governments has yet to be established. However, close and ongoing governmental involvement is likely to remain necessary.

As I have said previously, the Government will continue to be constructive and supportive of the talks and is committed to advancing any outcomes that emerge. We demonstrate that support directly with the parties and through our ongoing engagement with the British Government and US Administration. In my ongoing meetings and contacts with party leaders and with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, I have stressed the importance of securing an agreement on the outstanding issues. As I said in reply to a previous question today, I am firmly of the view that it is in the best interests of Northern Ireland that agreement is reached as soon as possible. It is particularly important now during the marching season and before the summer recess that politics is seen to be working for the benefit of all communities in the North.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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We accept the importance of the fact that discussions are going on prior to the contentious parades and marches which are coming down the track. It is important that the first official meeting is taking place between Sinn Féin and David Cameron at Downing Street this morning, four years after he took office. There is a different approach by the Irish Government, the Tánaiste and his officials from that of the British Government. I do not know how often the Tánaiste engages, but I presume he meets all the parties. The same does not seem to happen with the British Government. It does not seem to be as engaged as the Irish Government in the process. We have seen in the Haass talks that the British Government did not adopt a position, offer support or encourage parties to adopt a position.

The difference in approaches has been a negative. Many of the Unionist parties involved were opposed to the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement but they have agreed now to work with it. It is important, therefore, that the British Government plays with the Irish Government a more significant role in the process. How does the Tánaiste consider that the Irish and British Governments can encourage the process and talks? How can more involvement from both Governments be encouraged?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It is important to state that the Irish Government has continued to be very closely involved. I have regularly met all the party leaders in Northern Ireland and maintained regular, ongoing contact with them by telephone and through officials. In many cases, it is contact which has never been brought to public attention. I have maintained a very regular dialogue with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The two Governments are the co-guarantors of the Agreement and we work closely together. Both Governments share the view that the talks should succeed and both are encouraging that. I have had these discussions with the Secretary of State, Ms Theresa Villiers, on a number of occasions. My most recent discussion with her took place on 24 June 2014.

We will stay in close contact with the talks which are taking place. I hope they succeed. What is important is to get an outcome from the two three-day sessions taking place this week and next week, respectively. I am very familiar with the issues and where the gaps and differences are in respect of particular issues. Those gaps are perfectly capable of being bridged and I hope they will be.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I reiterate that the Irish Government has been inclusive in the process. It has tried to involve all parties and none and to encourage and promote the idea of dialogue. The British Government seems to have adopted a different position. The night that Deputy Gerry Adams was arrested, they were having a drinks party with the DUP. The British Government may be meeting unionism on a regular basis, but it is not meeting the wider parties which is a weakness in its approach. It is positive, however, that the meeting with Sinn Féin is taking place for the first time today. The worry is that the British Government is more concerned about the next election and coming closer to unionism in that regard rather than about building on the peace process itself.

Does the Tánaiste believe this is a genuine process or are we just going through the motions? There is a view that the talks up to now have merely involved parties laying out their stalls without any genuine attempt to resolve the issues which are still outstanding from Haass. There were talks after Haass, but it appeared to be a matter of going through the motions. Does the Tánaiste believe this is a real opportunity which sets the mood music in relation to the contentious marches and what is facing us down the road?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I welcome the fact that Prime Minister David Cameron is meeting the Sinn Féin leadership today. The Taoiseach and I met the Sinn Féin leadership last week and have continued to maintain close contact with all the parties. I do not accept that this is an issue which should be driven by anyone for party political reasons. There are agreements in place, including the Good Friday Agreement and the agreements which succeeded it, that were voted on by the people of this country. There are international agreements - in effect, treaties - between the State and the United Kingdom on Northern Ireland. What is required to be done is to give effect to the agreements, implement them and see that they work in the interests of the people of Northern Ireland and both these islands. This is not an issue with which anyone on this or the neighbouring island should play party politics. These are agreements between Governments.

A settlement was achieved and there is work to be done to implement it. Part of that is the talks that are now to take place among party leaders within Northern Ireland, supported by the two Governments. Another part of it is the North-South dimension. There will be a meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council in Dublin on Friday. We have practical issues which we must discuss. The issue should not be reduced to one of what is to the party advantage of any political party. It should be worked on the basis of what is in the best interests of the peace process itself and the people of these two islands.