Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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6. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent of his efforts to restore the Northern Ireland institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19926/23]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I am very much aware of the Tánaiste's strong interest in advancing the Northern Ireland institutions. Will he outline recent efforts and engagement he has had, in particular since the Windsor framework, with a view to re-establishing the institutions?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The full and effective operation of all of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement across all three strands is a key priority for me for and for our Government. The people of Northern Ireland are entitled to a functioning Assembly and Executive. In recent weeks we have seen cuts to services that will affect Northern Ireland's most vulnerable. It is vital that the people of Northern Ireland are represented by the politicians that they elected in May 2022. The absence of a functioning Executive also has knock-on effects on the operation of strand two of the agreement which has been severely disrupted in recent years. It is vital that the North-South Ministerial Council is allowed to continue its work as soon as possible.

I remain in regular contact with political representatives in Northern Ireland, reiterating the urgent need for a functioning assembly and Executive. I am also in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with restoration of the institutions a core focus of our discussions. I met the Secretary of State and the British Prime Minister most recently last week, at the conference hosted by Queen's University Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. In my remarks at the conference I emphasised the importance that the Government attaches to the restoration of the devolved institutions. I had a substantial bilateral engagement with the Secretary of State on 6 April 2023 when we discussed the restoration of the devolved power-sharing institutions and the Irish Government's continuing opposition to the British Government's legacy Bill.

The Secretary of State and I also met at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Dublin earlier this year, which is a strand three institution. The Government will continue to work across all strands of the Good Friday Agreement in support of the devolved power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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It is now two months since the Windsor framework was agreed. There has been an opportunity for the different parties to review the agreement and to have questions answered.

While some people might have had Good Friday or maybe the US presidential visit as target dates, they have come and gone. It is reasonable to allow people time to consult and clarify, but sooner or later a decision on this must be arrived at so things can move on and an Executive can be established. Is there an identifiable pathway, or what milestones does the Tánaiste see along the route to allow us to get back and establish an Executive? What of the right of the people of Northern Ireland to have a functioning Executive and their expectations about having their elected representatives fulfilling their roles? The right of a nationalist First Minister also seems to be denied in the absence of an Executive. I ask the Tánaiste to outline the milestones he sees ahead.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for the points he has made. Last week at the three-day event on the Good Friday Agreement a significant dinner was hosted by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland involving all those who participated in the agreement, but also many community groups and representatives of all the political parties. That gave me an opportunity to informally talk to all the leaders of the Northern Ireland political parties as well as the Secretary of State. Contacts, discussions and assessments are continuing, especially within the DUP. The party engaged in a consultation process with broader unionism and that has concluded. I have said repeatedly that I am very clear that when an election happens in a democracy, it should be followed by the establishment of a parliament or an assembly and then the formation of a government. That is what happens in all normal democratic situations after elections and it is not acceptable that the people of Northern Ireland are being denied the reconvening of the Assembly and the formation of an Executive. In those discussions and at the conference, no door was closed to the prospect of reopening the institutions.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Tánaiste. I agree that following on from an election it would be a reasonable expectation of people that an Executive would be re-established and functioning. The parties have not been able to get that up and running. I appreciate the various talks that are going on, but is there an identifiable pathway towards that, or what milestones does the Tánaiste see ahead? I take on board his point that no doors have been closed, but can see we where that landing zone might be and what milestones are along the way to achieving that, so the people of Northern Ireland can have the Executive up and running, as they are entitled to?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Deputy Ó Murchú wants to come in briefly before the Tánaiste replies.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I will be very brief. I welcome what the Tánaiste said about how following elections we should have a parliament and the formation of an executive. We would all like to see the DUP get into government as quickly as possible. My fear is around how we avoid drift. What does the Government intend to do on that? The council elections are imminent and the North is now facing serious Tory cuts. Some of this could be alleviated by the Executive being up and running. We are afraid of this drifting into the summer and the marching season and there are fears nothing will happen at that point.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We are all conscious of the particular milestones that have been outlined. I do not want to speculate on those or the impact of them on the restoration of the institutions. I found it interesting that in the debates and various contributions that took place last week no one said they were not going to go back into the institutions in the fullness of time. Groups have raised issues pertaining to the Windsor agreement. The agreement comprehensively addressed many of the issues unionist political parties raised. There is no question about that. I refer to questions about the movement of goods and the simplification of that. It was dramatic change really and was all based on the EU having access to UK data on trade flows and so on. Significant progress, therefore, was made. The Stormont brake and the manner in which the British Government applies it should give greater succour to unionists, because we are not enamoured with all of that. It is clear from a unionist perspective that that is something they would be supportive of in terms of how the UK Government applies that in its own legislation. I understand the Deputies' concerns and we will keep in touch on this.