Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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163. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has written to or spoken with Secretary of State Villiers regarding an inquiry into the Ballymurphy murders in 1971; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6190/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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On 30 January 2014, the Taoiseach met with representatives of the Ballymurphy families in Dublin and told the families that, having considered the particular circumstances of their case, the Government supports their call for the appointment of an Independent Panel to examine all documents relating to the context, circumstances and aftermath of the deaths. He undertook to raise the matter directly with PM Cameron.

Prior to this my officials have engaged intensively on this issue and kept me continuously informed. They have met with representatives of the 11 people killed in Ballymurphy over a three day period in August 1971 on a number of occasions. They discussed the families' campaign for the establishment of an Independent Panel to examine all documents relating to the context, circumstances and aftermath of the deaths on a number of occasions with officials from the Northern Ireland Office, most recently on 29 and 30 January 2014. They also met with representatives of the families in Brussels on 28 January 2014, as part of a wider meeting with a number of victims' representatives from Ireland, North and South. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials attended a remembrance procession for those who died in Ballymurphy on 5 December 2013 .

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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164. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the issues he raised with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State during their recent meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8369/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I met with the Secretary of State most recently on 6 February 2014 to discuss the current political talks and how to take forward the compromise proposals on contentious issues facing Northern Ireland.

We agreed that we wish to see the Northern Ireland Parties reach agreement as soon as possible and without further delay. I spoke with the Secretary of State by telephone on 12 February and we further agreed that we would speak again this week to review the situation. In the meantime our officials have been working together to consider how the two governments can best continue to support the talks process.

I briefed the Secretary of State on North South economic cooperation and in that context we welcomed the recent joint British/Northern Ireland/Ireland trade mission to Singapore, agreeing that it could set a positive precedent for further joint trade missions.

We discussed the recent statements on Northern Ireland in Dáil Éireann and I drew attention to the need for full implementation of the Agreements, as set out in my own statement.

We also discussed security issues including, North South security cooperation.