Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

I move:

That Seanad Éireann commends the Government for its role in brokering the recent power sharing agreement in Northern Ireland.

On behalf of all Members I welcome the Minister. I congratulate him, the Taoiseach and their assistants for their marvellous work during the talks that took place in the North of Ireland. I congratulate them for their efforts during recent weeks and months. They put many long hours into ensuring that parties had the space and the confidence to reach this important agreement.

As all Members know, the Minister noted that Mr. Sammy Wilson called this a "deal made in Ulster". It is an agreement that speaks to the enormous progress that has taken place in Northern Ireland in recent years. The principles of mutual respect, partnership and equality which are the very core of the Good Friday Agreement have been given renewed expression in this agreement. The working relationships built up between parties and individuals in the Executive and the Assembly during these negotiations will have gone a long way towards reducing some of the barriers of mistrust and suspicion which, in the past, hindered change and progress.

We all know that there is still some way to go before Northern Ireland can leave behind the divisions of the past. However, it is clear that the parties approached the talks with a willingness to find common ground and deliver a deal that was fair to the two main communities and representative of their needs. This attitude has ensured the agreement they have reached is sustainable and can deliver for the people of Northern Ireland. As the Minister outlined in his statement and will outline again today, the deal covers issues at the very heart of a modern society, particularly policing and justice. Ordinary people, particularly in Northern Ireland, attach the highest importance to feeling secure in their homes and on the streets. They want to know they can expect fair treatment in the courts and that their rights will be upheld.

Elected representatives from communities across Northern Ireland will be directly responsible for delivering legislation and policies on policing and justice issues. Their knowledge of their communities which elect them puts them in the strongest position to deliver efficient solutions that will serve the needs of their constituents. The deal reached is comprehensive and will allow a new Minister for Justice the scope to deliver practical policies, with the support of the Executive and, no doubt, the vigorous scrutiny of the Assembly and the public.

The Hillsborough agreement also addresses the sensitive and contentious issue of parading. For many years parades and public assemblies have been in the news for all the wrong reasons. In seasons gone by, they have been marked by fierce disagreement and, occasionally, violence. The deal puts in place a framework which will culminate in legislation in the Assembly on managing parades. The agreement on parading is one which could only have been achieved between the parties. It recognises the rights of those who parade, as well as those who live in areas in which parades take place. It recognises that there can be competing rights and crucially - echoing the Good Friday Agreement - that everyone has the right to live free from sectarian harassment.

The Good Friday Agreement underlined the central importance of tradition and the expression of cultural identity by the two main communities in Northern Ireland. Those who negotiated the Agreement understood that, without a culture of tolerance and respect for different traditions, Northern Ireland could never achieve mutual understanding or lasting recognition. Sensitivities still persist in Northern Ireland around public expressions of cultural identity. Parading is just one example of this. The use of flags and emblems, music and the bands that perform it and the expression of identity through language can be divisive and resurrect old hatreds and suspicions. The Good Friday Agreement stressed the importance of respect for linguistic diversity, particularly with regard to the Irish language and Ulster-Scots. Much has been done through Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency board to promote the development of the Irish language and Ulster-Scots. At St. Andrews the importance of language to cultural identity was underlined and a commitment was given to introduce an Irish language Act. I am confident that the spirit of partnership which characterised the talks at Hillsborough can be maintained and that further measures to protect and enhance the Irish language and Ulster-Scots can be implemented. Respect for and understanding of each other's cultures can make a real contribution to improving community relations in Northern Ireland. Huge strides have been made to bridge the divisions between communities and build sustainable relationships based on an honest acceptance of one another.

The construction by the State of the visitors centre at the Battle of the Boyne site in Oldbridge, County Meath, in recognition of the historical significance of the site, acknowledged the importance of tradition and cultural identity. The centre has been open for almost two years and received many visitors from Northern Ireland from both communities. It is making a significant contribution to breaking down the barriers of misunderstanding and mistrust and fostering lasting reconciliation between the traditions on the island. It is just one example of the practical steps we can take to build better community relations. There is a need to continue to support groups and individuals looking to enhance and embed reconciliation in order that good relations can be woven into the fabric of government and society.

It is unacceptable that sectarian attitudes persist. It is an utter tragedy that there are still incidents of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, as they cast a shadow over the huge progress made in recent years. It is equally unacceptable that a small criminal minority of so-called dissident republicans continue a sporadic campaign of violence against the PSNI. The cowardly attack on Constable Peadar Heffron who in many ways was a great example and personified the new beginning in policing in Northern Ireland was particularly despicable and evil. The devolution of justice and policing powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly will further underline the futility of these violent actions which have no legitimacy, serve no cause, have no community support and will not succeed in derailing the new political dispensation in Northern Ireland.

I am heartened by the Hillsborough agreement. Its spirit has the power to inspire the placing of a renewed focus on the ethos of the Good Friday Agreement - mutual respect, partnership, equality and tolerance - and to help Northern Ireland to lay the foundations of a better and shared future for all.