Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Members for their contributions to the statements on Northern Ireland. There were many views and perspectives expressed. There was a good measure of accord around the House for the Government’s principles and approach on Northern Ireland. That approach is consistent with our role as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, in which the Government is supported and guided by the Oireachtas, including the Seanad. That is why I am very pleased to be here this afternoon. It is my duty to listen to and be guided by Members of the Seanad.

In the further discussions that are shortly to take place in Belfast to support the formation of a new Executive, the Government will maintain its proactive and determined engagement. We want, and Northern Ireland deserves, a positive and a prompt outcome - the formation of a new Executive, operating on the basis of partnership and respect. The Government believes that on the major outstanding issues, some of which have been mentioned by Members, dealing with the past, the Irish language, rights and equality frameworks, the appropriate and necessary compromises can be found by relying on the principles of the Good Friday Agreement. Principles such as mutual respect, parity of esteem, partnership and engaging in compromise are not zero-sum in nature. They are not the exclusive property of any one party or interest group. They are the basis of our peace process and of all the progress that has been achieved in the peace process, particularly since the signing of the historic Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

Resolute attention must be given in the discussions to moving forward with outstanding commitments under the Good Friday Agreement and the subsequent agreements. If these outstanding commitments are faithfully implemented, they will deepen confidence in the peace process and in the political institutions on all sides. For example, achieving a way forward on legacy issues in accordance with the Stormont House framework will serve the interests of people from all communities in an equal, consistent and principled way. Addressing legacy issues in a comprehensive way will help ease the strain in Northern Ireland in the day to day conduct of politics, policing and the administration of justice. The establishment of the legacy institutions envisaged in the Stormont House Agreement will allow us to focus instead on meeting the real needs and legitimate expectations of the tens of thousands of victims and survivors of horrific violent activity across Northern Ireland over a period of 30 years or more. An agreed way forward with the Stormont House framework, encompassing the legacy bodies, legacy inquests, and other supports for victims and survivors, will advance the peace process.In advancing this process, it will also deepen reconciliation which is so fundamental to the ongoing process of peace and stability, fragile though that appears to be from time to time. The Government will continue to do all that it can in the discussions immediately ahead to support and contribute to the achievement of such a momentous step for Northern Ireland and the peace process.

Senators O'Reilly, Ó Donnghaile, Black, Daly and others referred specifically to an Irish language Act and the need to ensure that a specific reference to the language is incorporated into the legislative framework in Northern Ireland. That, to my mind, as I have said publicly on numerous occasions, can only engender the appropriate level of confidence throughout Northern Ireland if it is done through a legislative instrument, an Irish language Bill becoming, in due course, an Irish language Act. I very much support an Irish language Act for Northern Ireland and have made it clear, time and again, that this is a commitment that has already been entered into, as Senator Ó Donnghaile also pointed out. I believe a single, stand alone Act is, in the circumstances, the best way of dealing with this issue. I hope we can reach agreement on this and I think that we will.

Senators Daly, Ó Donnghaile, O'Reilly and Feighan spoke about the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union. This act, which commenced yesterday, presents fundamental questions for Northern Ireland and for the entire island of Ireland. The question of special status was raised. I must respond by saying that there is already a special status for Northern Ireland, namely, the Good Friday Agreement, which is recognised and fully supported by the European Union. That agreement may not have even been reached in the spring of 1998 were it not for the active support of the EU.

One can see the EU itself as being a peace process - as I have always done - ending as it did a century of horrific warfare across the continent of Europe. It represents an agreement or pledge by European partners, who had been engaged in horrific hostilities, that this would never happen again. I believe the European Union is still an active peace process. On a micro level, I acknowledge the important role that the EU played in the peace process on the island of Ireland. I look back to contributions that were made, particularly that of MEP John Hume, who almost single-handedly brought the challenge of Northern Ireland to Brussels and Strasbourg in a way that ultimately sensitised the European Parliament, European institutions and Europe itself to the difficulties of the peace process in the North. We have come a long way since then and the EU has played a very important role in that regard.

The task of the Irish Government, the Taoiseach, myself and everyone here who supports the Good Friday Agreement is to ensure that this special status remains fully recognised, upheld and supported by the European Union, in whatever form is both necessary and appropriate. The Government continues to robustly make the case to our EU partners that the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland warrant special arrangements to deal with the specific challenges that arise. We are advancing those arguments on an issue by issue basis. I acknowledge what Senator Feighan has said and thank him for his remarks in that regard. Our plan is working but we will continue to advance our arguments on an issue by issue basis to ensure that our EU partners understand, acknowledge and are sympathetic to the merits of our case and will act accordingly in the context of the challenges that lie ahead.

The operation of the institutions of the Agreement, namely the Assembly and power-sharing Executive, the North-South Ministerial Council and the British-Irish Council, are all critical parts of the ongoing collective work that is required if we are to fully protect the interests of the island of Ireland in the forthcoming negotiations. I undertake to keep this House regularly updated, to engage with Senators on these matters and to draw from them their priorities and issues in the context of the manner in which we set out our plan for our negotiations.

In conclusion, the political discussions of the coming days must result in the formation of a new Executive to represent the people of Northern Ireland. That is what the people voted for on 2 March - an Executive to deal with the reality of Brexit. The people have given a very recent and fresh electoral mandate to the parties and all parties must rise to that. They must face the risks and the challenges.The forthcoming talks will focus on implementing commitments arising from previous agreements and, of course, we will continue to support such implementation. We also know that all negotiations require accommodation and compromise. No agreement is ever reached if it involves complete satisfaction for one side and complete humiliation for the other. Some kind of balanced outcome will be required if all sides are to be able to sell the deal to their respective constituencies. This is at all times crucial in the context of Northern Ireland.

I accept we need an agreement. We need an agreement to ensure previous agreements are fully honoured, but to reach it we will also need the spirit of honourable compromise. It can be done, it should be done and it will be done, but it is time to get on with it now and to do it.