Seanad debates

Thursday, 19 November 2015

10:30 am

Photo of Máiría CahillMáiría Cahill (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I also note the announcement of the impending resignation of the First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr. Peter Robinson. I met Mr. Robinson last year and found him to be very courteous and respectful. He should be given credit for moving the Democratic Unionist Party from a policy of "Never, never, never" to one under which, for the most part, his party has had a respectful relationship with the Nationalist community and has been very productive.

I also echo the welcome for the announcement of the Stormont agreement yesterday. It is to be welcomed that the institutions did not collapse. It is in this context that I ask the Leader for a debate on the issues surrounding the agreement, because a number of concerns remain outstanding. I note with great disappointment that despite the issues that have been agreed, agreement has not been reached on one issue, namely, the issue of the past. Yet again, victims whose loved ones were murdered as a result of the conflict in the North have had accountability and justice denied to them.I refer to families such as those affected in Ballymurphy, on Bloody Sunday, in the Dublin-Monaghan bombings, and the families of the late Paul Quinn and the late Pat Finucane. We need collectively to find a way to address these issues and not let the hurt and pain of the void left by no mechanism fester any longer. There are also other concerns around the implementation of austerity measures which, in my opinion, cannot be solely laid at the door of the British Government. However, for the most part, I welcome the fact that agreement has been reached, although we probably need to pay more attention to the detail within it.

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