Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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22. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, if he will detail how he and his Department are working to bring the relevant North and South bodies together to progress engagement and work to safeguard the GFA into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27990/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Strand Two of the Good Friday Agreement provided for the establishment of the North South Ministerial Council to develop consultation, co-operation and action within the island of Ireland on matters of mutual interest within the competence of both Administrations.

The Council oversees work in twelve Areas of Co-operation. In six of these, work is progressed jointly by relevant Northern Ireland Executive and Irish Government Departments. In the other six areas, it is taken forward by North South Implementation Bodies, which each have a clear operational remit but operate under the overall policy direction of the North South Ministerial Council.

The six North South Implementation Bodies were established in 1999, with Tourism Ireland created separately in 2000. Since then, they have played a vital role in developing practical, common sense cooperation on an all-island basis across a range of sectors, carrying out important public functions and delivering valuable services to people and communities throughout the island.

I was pleased to meet with the CEOs and Chairs of the Bodies in Iveagh House earlier this year, to acknowledge the significant contribution they have made since their establishment, and to reiterate the full support of the Government for their work.

Last month, the North South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat hosted a conference in Armagh for Board Members of the Bodies, with attendance of senior officials from this jurisdiction, including my Department. This provided an opportunity to take stock of the Bodies’ achievements to date, discuss current strategic and operational challenges, and explore the potential future work and role of the Bodies.

Unfortunately, ongoing disruption to the North South Ministerial Council has had negative implications for the work of the North South Bodies. It is therefore crucial that the Council returns to operation without delay. This will allow us to move ahead with new North South initiatives, in which the Bodies can play important roles.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In Stormont House in 2014, the two Governments and most of the Assembly parties agreed a way forward on legacy which would meet the needs of victims, uphold human rights and contribute to reconciliation, an approach endorsed again in the Fresh Start and New Decade, New Approach agreements. However, in May 2022, with the publication of its Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill, the UK Government decided to move away from the Stormont House Agreement and take a unilateral approach to dealing with the past. During all of my engagements with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, I have made clear the Government's opposition to this Bill, and outlined my specific and serious concerns about its provisions.

Last week, the Council of Europe in Strasbourg adopted a Interim Resolution, which, once again, expressed serious concern about the UK Bill. This was the fifth occasion on which the Council expressed its serious concern about the question of the Bill's compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights. While the process itself is confidential, my officials have briefed Council of Europe member states regularly on our concerns, and have made the Government's views clear in formal sessions.

On 8 June, the UK Government published a list of proposed amendments to the Bill. It is my view that these new amendments fail to sufficiently alter the Bill to address our concerns about its compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights and its impact on the fundamental work of reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

I will continue to encourage the UK Government to pause this Bill and return to the partnership approach that has successfully produced a lasting peace for the people of these islands for 25 years.