Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his continued efforts in the Northern Ireland peace process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27126/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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On 27 June last, I attended a summit level meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference co-chaired by the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, at 10 Downing Street. The meeting was also attended by the Minister for Justice, Equality, and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mr. Peter Hain, the Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office, Mr. David Hanson, and by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office, Mr. Shaun Woodward.

The conference reviewed recent political developments, including the results of the Westminster and local government elections in early May and contacts since then with the Northern Ireland parties. The meeting affirmed the intention of the two Governments to work with all parties to achieve political progress. The conference agreed that the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland could only be achieved in the context of a complete cessation of paramilitary and criminal activity by the IRA and a full and irreversible decommissioning of its weapons.

Following on from that meeting, I met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mr. Peter Hain, on 7 July at Hillsborough to discuss the prospects for political progress and to engage with him on current political and security issues of concern, including the summer marching season and parades. In addition, I have maintained close contact with representatives of the political parties both formally and informally. In July I met informally with representatives of Sinn Féin. On 8 September last I met representatives of the SDLP and Sinn Féin in Belfast to discuss the increased tensions and the upsurge in loyalist violence which was all too evident in parts of Northern Ireland this summer.

During my visit I also met with community representatives from the Springfield Road area which suffered subsequent loyalist protest and rioting in response to the Parades Commission determination on the Whiterock Orange march on 10 September. I paid a further visit to Belfast and north Antrim on 22 September to meet with people recently affected by sectarian attacks and street violence, including residents from the Springfield Road and Parkside in Belfast and some of the families affected by sectarian attacks in north Antrim. I assured all those I met of the Government's determination to be proactive in challenging sectarianism at every opportunity.

I had a further meeting with the Secretary of State, Mr. Peter Hain, in Belfast on 21 September 2005 to review political developments since our meeting in July and to prepare for the next meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. We also discussed relevant political and security issues, including the regrettable recent upsurge in loyalist violence.

On 23 September, together with the Taoiseach, I met with representatives of Sinn Féin. The meeting, which was Sinn Féin's first formal meeting with the Government since January, was held in a constructive atmosphere. We impressed upon Sinn Féin that the bedrock of further progress would be delivery by the IRA on decommissioning and a definitive and demonstrable end to its links with all forms of criminal activity.

Subsequent to the meeting with Sinn Féin, the confirmation on 26 September by the Independent International Monitoring Commission on Decommissioning that the IRA had put all its weapons beyond use was a further significant step in restoring trust and confidence in the peace process. Both Governments will now work with the parties to rebuild political momentum so that we are in a position to move ahead should the reports of the International Monitoring Commission in October and January be favourable. The next meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, which the Secretary of State and I will co-chair in the coming weeks, will be a further opportunity for the Governments to progress our work to implement the Good Friday Agreement and to bring to fruition the stable, democratic and prosperous future the people of Northern Ireland deserve.