Written answers

Thursday, 14 April 2016

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Northern Ireland Issues

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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631. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his discussions with the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ms Theresa Villiers, regarding the implementation of the Fresh Start Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6853/16]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Government remains committed to the important work in implementing the Fresh Start Agreement and continues to work closely with all relevant stakeholders in this regard. I discussed the good progress made on these matters with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers, at the end of March. We look forward to building on that progress at the next Fresh Start Agreement review meeting which will take place after the Northern Ireland Assembly elections.

The first review meeting since the Fresh Start Agreement was convened by the Secretary of State and I on 14 January this year at Stormont House. Overall, there has been a good start to the implementation of the Fresh Start Agreement with each administration undertaking necessary work to fulfil its commitments.

I hosted a trilateral ministerial meeting on enhancing law enforcement cooperation as envisaged by Fresh Start in Farmleigh on 21 December 2015. This meeting also launched the Joint Agency Task Force on cross-border crime.

Just before Christmas, the Executive appointed Monica McWilliams, John Alderdice, and John McBirney as its three person panel to develop a strategy on paramilitarism, as per the Fresh Start Agreement – the panel is due to report in May. In addition, the drafting of the international agreement between the two Governments to establish a four person body to monitor progress on ending paramilitarism is also underway.

The Government is also meeting its financial commitments under the Agreement. Contacts are underway with the NI Executive regarding infrastructure projects such as the A5 motorway. Discussions have also taken place on other projects such as the Ulster Canal and the Narrow Water Bridge Projects and the first meeting of the senior officials’ infrastructure group took place on 13 January. The Irish Government funding of €2.5 million committed to a North West Development Fund has been provided and will be matched by the Executive.

The Executive and the British Government are also on track with the implementation of their commitments under the Fresh Start Agreement. In particular, the Executive signed off on the 2016-17 Budget in December and the Welfare Bill implementing the agreement on welfare reform received Royal Assent on 25 November. The UK Treasury recently approved the release of monies from the Stormont House Agreement funding to support integrated education.The Northern Ireland (Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan) Bill continues its passage through Westminster.

Both Governments are committed to reaching agreement on the establishment of the institutions to deal with the past, agreed as part of the Stormont House Agreement. My Department has been engaging with a range of victims groups in recent months in this regard and the Secretary of State and I are in regular contact on the issue.

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