Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

170. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the outcome of his recent meeting with the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ms Theresa Villiers, the First Minister, Ms Arlene Foster, and the Deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin Mc Guinness; if he has made specific arrangements with the Northern Ireland Executive to work together following the British referendum on membership of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19970/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have been actively engaged with both the Northern Ireland Executive and the British Government since the results of the recent UK-EU referendum became known. On the Friday when the result was announced I spoke with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the First and deputy First Ministers and the leaders of the Northern Irish political parties.

Last Wednesday, the Secretary of State and I convened the Quarterly Review Meeting of the Fresh Start and Stormont House Agreements, which was attended by the First and deputy First Ministers and the Northern Ireland Justice Minister and at which the referendum result was discussed. In addition to the Review Meeting, I also held a separate bilateral meeting with Secretary of State Villiers during which we discussed the issue, as well as with the leaders of the SDLP and Alliance Parties.

The referendum outcome was also on the agenda at Monday’s NSMC Plenary hosted by the Taoiseach at Dublin Castle. My Cabinet colleagues and I participated together with the Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive led by the First and deputy First Ministers.

During the NSMC Plenary there was a detailed discussion on the potential impact of the UK referendum result to leave the EU. At the meeting, the NSMC agreed on ten specific areas where there would be joint planning and engagement. Furthermore, the economy and trade; Northern Ireland and British Irish relations; the Common Travel Area; and the EU were highlighted as the four priority areas where implications arise as result of the referendum vote.

The NSMC Plenary followed on from last week’s Quarterly Review Meeting of the Fresh Start and Stormont House Agreements and my separate bilateral meeting with Secretary of State Villiers. Naturally the outcome of the UK referendum on the EU was a key element of these meetings and I took the opportunity to assure all those present of the priority the Government attaches to the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland in the aftermath of the referendum.

I emphasised the necessity and importance of working together in the best interests of the people on this island. I reiterated the Government’s commitment to work in support of stability, reconciliation and prosperity in Northern Ireland. In this regard the Government will use its influence with our EU partners to seek to persuade them of the need for specific arrangements which protect the key gains of the peace process on this island – a process to which the EU has already made a key contribution. In addition I outlined that the Common Travel Area and cross-border EU funding, are key priorities for the Government in the period ahead.

I am very conscious of the deep concerns and anxiety that have arisen for many people across the community in Northern Ireland about the referendum outcome. The fact that the majority within Northern Ireland who voted to remain now face their preference being set aside as a result of the overall result across the UK raises profound issues.

In this regard, in my bilateral meeting with Secretary of State Villiers we agreed that the Good Friday Agreement remains the foundation for the two Governments’ approach to Northern Ireland. The EU referendum result does not in any way diminish the centrality of the Good Friday Agreement or the requirement of both the British and Irish Governments to uphold it. As a co-guarantor of the Good Friday and succeeding Agreements, the Irish Government is determined that its institutions, values and principles – including the right to be British or Irish or both - will be fully protected.

I also spoke with Secretary of State Villiers bilaterally on legacy issues; both in terms of the urgent need to make progress on the establishment of the Stormont House Legacy institutions as well as a number of specific historic cases. I raised the recent all-Party Dáil Motion on the Dublin-Monaghan bombings, the third such motion passed by this House, and underlined the expectation of the Government and the Dáil that progress on this long-standing request would be made. We also discussed the findings of the Police Ombudsman’s report into the killings at Loughinisland which was published earlier this month.

At the Review Meeting on 29 June, in addition to the outcome of the referendum, the participants considered the progress made on the implementation of the Fresh Start and Stormont House Agreements. I emphasised the importance of seeking full implementation of these Agreements and noted the continued delivery on the Government’s commitments under the Agreements, as reflected in the Programme for Government. This includes, a contribution of €25 million from the Irish Government in 2019 for the upgrading of the A5, which is in addition to the €50 million already committed, and €2.5 million provided by the Government for the North West Development Fund.

The review meeting also welcomed the publication of the Panel report on the Disbandment of Paramilitary Groups in Northern Ireland as required under the Fresh Start Agreement, and welcomed that the Executive’s Action Plan building on its recommendations will be finalised soon. The meeting also noted the work between the two Governments on an international treaty to provide for the establishment of the Independent Reporting Commission which will monitor progress on ending paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland.