Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

378. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to protect the principle of devolution in the Good Friday Agreement. [17075/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The full implementation and effective operation of the Good Friday Agreement and all subsequent implementing agreements is an utmost priority for this Government.

The New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) Agreement reached in January 2020 was a very significant shared achievement in restoring the devolved power-sharing institutions of the Good Friday Agreement to operation after three years of their absence. As we have set out in the Programme for Government, we are working to ensure that the NDNA Agreement is implemented in full.

The Government regularly engages with and supports the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland through the institutions provided for in the Good Friday Agreement, the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC), the British Irish Council (BIC) and the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.

The NSMC is essential to overseeing and developing North South cooperation on matters of mutual interest. The important work of the NSMC to develop cooperation on an all-island basis has resumed following the NDNA agreement. Two successful NSMC plenary meetings have now taken place, as well as a number of Sectoral meetings at Ministerial level, and progress continues across the breadth of North-South areas of cooperation.

The Government also looks forward to enhanced roles for the British Irish Council and British Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC), as set out in the Programme for Government. The BIC, which is provided for under the Good Friday Agreement brings together: the Irish Government; UK Government; Scottish Government; Northern Ireland Executive; Welsh Government; the Isle of Man Government; the Government of Jersey and the Government of Guernsey to “promote the harmonious and mutually beneficial development of the totality of relationships among the peoples of these islands”. The Government has participated in a range of BIC meetings this year and will continue to do so in the period ahead, including the summit planned for Northern Ireland in June.

The BIIGC is also an institution of the Good Friday Agreement under Strand Three covering East West relations. It brings together the Irish and British Governments to promote bilateral cooperation at all levels on all matters of mutual interest within the competence of both Governments. It has been agreed that the next meeting of the BIIGC will also take place in June.

As co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government will continue to work closely on a North/South and East-West basis in support of the devolved power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland and the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent implementing Agreements.