Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to recent contacts in Belfast between the British Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, Mr. Jonathan Powell, and senior republicans including leading members of the Irish Republican Army; if any such meetings were held with the knowledge of his Department; if he or representatives of his Department have had similar meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18503/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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It is not our practice to provide details on contacts between Government officials, Irish or British, and political parties in Northern Ireland. Nevertheless, I am not aware of recent contacts of the nature referred to in the Deputy's question.

My contacts with Sinn Féin since the beginning of the year included the meeting on 25 January when the Taoiseach, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and I met Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness in Government buildings. Subsequently, in the course of a programme of events in Derry, I had an informal meeting with Martin McGuinness on 4 February. Finally, together with the Taoiseach, I met Gerry Adams in Washington DC on 16 March. All of these contacts were in the public domain and the Taoiseach and I have commented on them as appropriate.