Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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2. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions he has taken to ensure the full implementation of previous peace agreements during the recent Stormont House talks in Belfast. [2987/15]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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We had an interesting discussion about the Stormont House Agreement on Tuesday but I want to raise specific aspects relating to the full implementation of previous agreements and what actions, if any, will be taken by the Minister to ensure these outstanding matters are brought to the table and implemented. Is there a plan or timescale for these issues?

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Throughout the recent talks, the Government maintained the view that the best way to strengthen peace and reconciliation across this island is to implement fully the commitments undertaken in the two foundational agreements of the peace process, the Good Friday Agreement and the St. Andrews Agreement. These agreements, together with the Stormont House Agreement, will remain at the core of the Government’s approach to Northern Ireland.

In the course of the talks, progress was made regarding the implementation of a number of commitments from previous agreements. The St. Andrews Agreement included a commitment to take forward a review of the North-South implementation bodies and areas for co-operation. Progress secured in the Stormont House Agreement means that the North-South Ministerial Council, meeting in institutional format, will agree by end February 2015 a report on new sectoral priorities for North-South co-operation, identified during ministerial discussions since November 2013. In the context of the Good Friday Agreement commitment regarding a Northern Ireland civic forum, the Government advanced the position that greater civic engagement would stimulate informed public debate in Northern Ireland in key societal challenges. I welcome that the Stormont House Agreement provides for the establishment of a civic advisory panel to meet regularly on key social, cultural and economic issues.

As is the case with all participants in the talks, there were issues which the Irish Government wished to see concluded but, unfortunately, sufficient consensus was not reached. For example, I was disappointed that a commitment to an Irish language Act, either enacted in Westminster or the Northern Ireland Assembly, did not form part of the final agreement. I welcome, however, the explicit endorsement in the agreement by the British Government of the principle of respect for and recognition of the Irish language in Northern Ireland. The Government will continue to advocate for an Irish language Act and encourage those Northern Ireland parties which currently support an act to continue to build the necessary enabling consensus among their Executive colleagues.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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That is useful. In the few minutes we have, I want to get some sense of how we can move on many of these issues. For example, there was agreement that there should be an inquiry into the Finucane case. What will the Irish Government do with that issue? The Barron report on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings is not part of the agreement but it must be dealt with if we are to move things on.

What are we going to do to try to get the British Government to release the information? A Bill of Rights is a key component of what we are talking about. I refer to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in the South and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in the North. Part of the agreement was that there would be a synergy or a coming together in that regard. I imagine that is something about which there would not be a huge difficulty in terms of moving those two bodies together.

However, there does not seem to be any plan or we are not hearing if there is a plan or about how the Government, together with other parties, in particular the British Government, will progress those issues. It is about the nuts and bolts. Is the Minister working to a specific plan? When he meets the British Government, are these issues raised on a regular basis with it? We are not getting feedback on what the reaction is and so on.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I understand what the Deputy is saying but, as usual, he continues to see the glass half empty rather than half full. A large measure of progress was made in the context of this agreement. In fact, people were of the view early on in the talks that a successful conclusion would not be reached. I accept what the Deputy said that a number of issues remain outstanding and on which, to my mind, agreement can be reached over a period of time.

The Deputy mentioned specifically the case of Pat Finucane. He will be aware of the fact that individual and specific case did not come within the scope of the Stormont House Agreement. However, the position of the Irish Government on this issue has not changed. We believe that a commitment to have a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane, as provided for in the Weston Park Agreement of 2001, should be honoured. We will continue to raise this issue with the British Government. It is an issue on which we will continue to pursue and raise at every opportunity.

In the short period of time at the Deputy's disposal, he concentrated on issues that did not come within the scope of the agreement. He needs to acknowledge, as does this House, that the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, on the evening of the conclusion of the successful deal, described the Stormont House Agreement as a fresh start and an opportunity to be seized with both hands. I wish to welcome that comment and acknowledge the very important and crucial role of the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, and others in the talks.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I do not know who wrote the script in this regard but maybe I am not explaining myself very well. I am asking about the full implementation of previous agreements; I am not asking about the Stormont House Agreement. I welcomed the agreement but it could have been better. Perhaps my demeanour portrays the glass is half full. There were other agreements, of which the Minister will be aware, including the Weston Park and the Good Friday Agreements. Many commitments have been given over the years. I am asking about the outstanding matters in regard to those agreements and not about the Stormont House Agreement, which is a move forward. I am asking about the outstanding issues from the Good Friday and the Weston Park Agreements. What is the plan in regard to full implementation of them?

I am a member of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Part of our remit is to meet with groups and get some sort of consensus. In the limited time available, I am trying to find out what is the Minister's plan in trying to deliver on those matters. It is not about looking back at what happened in the Stormont House Agreement and so on but it is about looking forward. That is what I am trying to do. I am not into having an argument or a disagreement in regard to the Stormont House Agreement. I am more interested in what the Minister is going to do in regard to the other matters.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy raised the Pat Finucane issue specifically but my understanding is that the other issues to which he referred would include the Irish Language Act, for example. A specific commitment in regard to the Act was not included in the recently forged agreement, nevertheless recognition was contained in the agreement of the role of the Irish language in Northern Ireland. We will continue to raise this issue. Similarly, as far as the North-South Consultative Forum and the issue of a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland are concerned, the enabling consensus was not around the table to have the specific initiatives included in the agreement.

However, I want to confirm to the Deputy that there will be other opportunities to raise these issues. Having regard to the fact that the agreement was concluded before Christmas, the review mechanisms contained in it and issues of importance will continue to be raised at the meetings that will take place on a quarterly basis. With specific reference to the issues raised by the Deputy, there will be an opportunity to raise them at the North-South Ministerial Council, which will take place in February. Now more than ever, there is a very high degree of contact and a very positive relationship between representatives of this House and the Northern Ireland Assembly and the British Government. I can assure the House that we will continue to raise outstanding issues at every opportunity.