Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

92. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the Stormont House Agreement will be implemented fully; the actions he has taken in view of the recent revelations of collusion between British State forces and terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28625/15]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Stormont House Agreement, which followed on from the Haass talks, is intended to bind the parties and communities closer together in resolving identity and legacy issues, coming to an agreement on welfare reform and making government finance in Northern Ireland more sustainable. Could the Minister outline the progress that is being made in respect of its implementation? We all welcomed the agreement in this House earlier this year and we want to see it implemented. The events of the past few days show that we need to have politics working to its full potential in Northern Ireland.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputy Smith that the important issue currently is to ensure the full implementation of all aspects of the Stormont House Agreement. I mentioned in response to Deputy Ó Snodaigh that there are urgent and challenging issues relating to finance. There is a small window of opportunity in the course of the next few weeks which will provide the five party leaders and their parties with an opportunity to re-intensify their efforts because there is much at stake here. We are looking at the future workings of the institutions in Northern Ireland and at ensuring that the institutions are working for and on behalf of the people throughout Northern Ireland. I believe that there is so much at stake here that it is essential that all parties ensure that finding resolutions is a priority.

As I outlined in an earlier reply, the full implementation of the Stormont House Agreement remains a priority of this Government and continues to be a key focus in all its contacts with the Northern Ireland Executive and the British Government at the highest level. Implementation of the agreement continues to be subject to ongoing review. The most recent review took place late last month. Notwithstanding the fact that July and August are months during which political engagement may not be at its highest, I believe it is important that contact remains throughout the summer months to ensure that all aspects of the agreement can facilitate the reporting of progress. The Government will continue to play its part in ensuring the full implementation of the agreement.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, and I represented the Government at the most recent review meeting on 25 June, which considered and approved for publication a six-month progress report in accordance with the monitoring provisions of the agreement.

In respect of the issue of collusion, it is a matter of public record that collusion occurred during the Troubles between British state forces and paramilitaries. Successive Irish Governments in our ongoing bilateral relations and through the European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg have raised the issue of collusion with the British Government. We continue to do so, including in respect of a number of individual cases of longstanding concern such as the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and the case of the late Pat Finucane. In particular, we advocate that all relevant documentation be made available to be examined by the appropriate mechanisms. Such cases must be adequately addressed if we are to achieve a genuinely reconciled society.

Many families, including those bereaved by incidents in which collusion has been alleged, continue to deal not only with the awful pain of losing a loved one but with the struggle for answers decades after these traumatic events. I understand and acknowledge the frustration of families who for too long have had to contend with inadequate mechanisms for addressing their cases. For that reason, the establishment of a new comprehensive framework for dealing with the legacy of the past, as envisaged in the Stormont House Agreement, remains a priority of the Government. We believe that these mechanisms offer the best hope of helping the thousands of families touched by the Troubles, including those affected by collusion.

These institutions will include a historical investigations unit, HIU, to take forward investigations into Troubles-related deaths as well as an Independent Commission on Information Retrieval, ICIR, to enable victims and survivors seek and privately receive information about Troubles-related deaths. Good progress is being made on the establishment of these institutions which I believe will assist all victims, including the victims of collusion, in their quest for justice and the truth.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. Unfortunately, we witnessed hooliganism on our television screens last night. We saw the actions of a small minority determined to return to the bad old days. They must not and will not succeed. It is very important that this small band of extremists is marginalised so it is extremely important that we push the political process forward. I did not think we would again see 24 members of the police force and a 16 year old girl being injured on the streets of the second city of this island. We saw bottles and bricks being thrown, baton rounds and the water cannon. All of this type of activity should be consigned to history. It is extremely important that all aspects of the Stormont House Agreement are implemented in full.

Could the Minister indicate whether it is possible to progress parts of the agreement? I presume that different sections and aspects of the agreement can be progressed when work is underway on other aspects. It is extremely important that a clear message goes out to society in general that it is politics that will win and bring about a better society and communities for everybody in all parts of this island.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I share the concern expressed by Deputy Smith and others about the incidents of violence last night on the streets of Belfast. I believe it is important that the rule of law obtain and I am pleased to report this morning that a number of arrests have been made, charges have been laid and those people will be brought before the courts at the earliest opportunity.

It is important we all use our collective effort and context to ensure we can influence society in Northern Ireland and, in particular, those who have not embraced the contents of the Good Friday Agreement, the Stormont House Agreement and other agreements. It is only through our collective efforts and through implementation in the form of progress across a range of issues that we can have in Northern Ireland the type of political stability that is appropriate for certainty and for a stable and peaceful society. Notwithstanding the fact there is something of a logjam in parts of the agreement - I refer specifically to the issues of welfare, finance and budgets - I urge parties to use their best endeavours in a way that perhaps has not been evident over recent months. Other aspects of the agreement refer to the legacy of the past and to the unimplemented aspects of previous agreements, upon which we can make progress and upon which we in this jurisdiction can make progress, as we are doing, in drafting legislation dealing with the very sensitive, personal and very important issue of finding a new departure in respect of the issues of the past.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. Will he give an assurance that progress can and will be achieved in the area of establishing the truth in regard to collusion? In recent months we have witnessed excellent public service given by BBC and RTE in very good documentaries on collusion by British state forces with terrorist organisations in the North of Ireland and, indeed, also in the South. It is very important the truth is established with regard to the murder of many innocent people.

I had the opportunity to mention on numerous occasions in this House the need for the British Government to respond without further delay to the unanimous request of this Parliament to give access to an eminent international jurist to all papers and files relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in 1974. It is extremely important that the British Government indicates it will respond positively. The truth is the very least to be expected for the families of those who were murdered so callously in 1974 and also the families of victims of other atrocities. Those documentaries were really chilling. We all would have known about the individual incidents but it was really chilling and frightening when they were catalogued and put in a documentary to show that state forces were colluding with terrorists and many innocent people on this island were killed. I appeal to the Minister to continue to pursue with the British Government the need to release the papers relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and also to make progress with regard to a proper investigation into the bombings in Belturbet in 1972.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I, too, had an opportunity to watch the most recent television programmes dealing with the subject of collusion. It remains a matter of public record that collusion occurred between British state forces and paramilitaries during the course of the Troubles. In our ongoing bilateral relations and through the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, we have raised with the British Government the issue of collusion, as have successive Irish Governments. We will continue to do so, including with regard to a number of individual cases of long-standing concern, including the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and the case of the late Pat Finucane. In particular, we advocate that all appropriate documentation be made available to be examined using the appropriate mechanisms. Such cases must be adequately addressed if we are to achieve a genuinely reconciled society.

I recently had the opportunity to raise these issues again with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ms Theresa Villiers, MP. I expect that progress can be reported on these issues in the context of the overall implementation of the Stormont House Agreement, and indeed in response to all-party motions which this House passed unanimously some years ago.