Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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82. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the contact he has had with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Mr James Brokenshire MP, since the resignation of the Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness. [1815/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I have been in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire MP, as part of the Government’s intensified engagement in recent weeks on the political situation in Northern Ireland. I met in Belfast with the Secretary of State on 14 December, 12 January and 19 January. We have also spoken by phone on a number of occasions. It was clear, immediately following the resignation of the deputy First Minister, that the prospect of a resolution ahead of the triggering of an Assembly election was slim. However both Governments, in their capacity as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, made full use of the narrow window available to ensure that any avenues for resolution between the parties prior to an election were fully explored.

In the event, an Assembly election has been triggered and it is important to emphasise that this eventuality is one covered by the legislation governing the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland. When parties in an administration cannot agree, an election is the consequence and the outcome of that is now for the electorate in Northern Ireland to determine.

The Secretary of State and I have agreed that both Governments should continue to work closely together in the weeks to come, looking ahead to the post-election period, when a new power-sharing Executive will need to be formed. We have also urged the parties to approach the election campaign in calm and respectful terms, conscious that polarising rhetoric and frayed relationships will damage the prospects of forming an Executive after the votes have been counted.

We must all be mindful that effective devolved Government, underpinned by a genuine spirit of partnership, is what the people of Northern Ireland voted for in 1998 and what they expect their politicians to deliver.

After the election, it will therefore fall to the parties to form a power-sharing Executive and this will require the parties to find a way forward on issues which contributed to the calling of the election. The Government is of course always ready to support and assist the parties in any way we can. Our commitment as a co-guarantor of the Agreement is a constant one – in good times and bad.

The Government will continue to work with the British Government and the political parties to support the fulfilment of the full promise of that Agreement and to advance political stability, reconciliation and economic prosperity in Northern Ireland.