asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is satisfied with the progress to date of the Anglo-Irish Conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Anglo-Irish Conference.
8.
The Intergovernmental Conference has met five times since the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement in November last year. The joint statements issued after these meetings have been placed before the House. The Deputy will be aware from these that the conference has begun work on a wide range of issues of central interest to Nationalists including a Bill of Rights, the use of flags and emblems, Irish language and culture, electoral arrangements and the role and composition of public bodies in Northern Ireland and cross-Border co-operation in economic, social and cultural matters.
The Intergovernmental Conference has also dealt with security policy including cross-Border security, relations between the security forces and the community and the legal system and the administration of justice. We are working actively in the conference for a programme of special measures to make the security forces more acceptable to Nationalists and for reform in the administration of justice.
Will the Minister confirm that he has received a substantial amount of submissions from chambers, county councils and various other bodies? Will he say whether he has examined those submissions in relation to the Anglo-Irish Agreement? Furthermore, will he say what he intends doing? For instance, will he communicate with those bodies who are anxiously awaiting a reply?
As the Deputy is probably aware, I spent a day up in Cavan and Monaghan the week before last visiting some of my friends. I received a number of deputations there, including some from chambers of commerce. But most of the submissions I received from the chambers of commerce, county councils, trade promotion bodies and tourism boards on both sides of the Border, were applications for funds from the international fund when it is set up. That fund has not yet been established. The criteria on which the funds will be distributed have not yet been established. Therefore, I could not respond except by way of acknowledgement of their submissions up to this point.
The Minister's visit and the statement he made do not bear out the facts of the case. For example the Minister made reference to the Erne catchment drainage scheme and to the Ballinamore/Ballyconnell canal. Nothing has been done in that area despite extensive pressure having been brought to bear on Departments in recent years. Would the Ministers not agree that lack of progress or communication is one of the most dissatisfying aspects of cross-Border co-operation?
Of course the Erne catchment area project predates the Anglo-Irish Conference. I have been endeavouring to get movement on the opening of the Ballyconnell canal since I was Minister for Tourism in the mid seventies. It would constitute one of the most valuable contributions not alone to cross-Border co-operation but to community co-operation on the whole island, in addition to providing one of the most attractive waterways in all of Europe if that canal were opened.
Is the Minister aware that Mr. Denis Kennedy of the EC office in Belfast stated just two weeks ago that money would be available if the British and Irish Governments could agree on projects?
We cannot get into a detailed discussion on this.
These are the facts.
They may be but, if we were to deal with every aspect of the question, we would be here until Christmas.
I shall be dealing with a question about Mr. Kennedy's remarks later on.
Has the Minister's attention been drawn to an article in one of last Sunday's British newspapers dealing with the Anglo-Irish Conference in which it was said that reports from these meeting will be circulated to parties in the North of Ireland? Would the Minister say whether there is any accuracy in the remarks contained in that article?
I do not know who wrote that article. I saw it and as far as I know there is truth in it, that no such thing has been suggested.
Is the Minister aware that he was asked specifically in the original question whether he was satisfied with the progress made on the Anglo-Irish Conference. To the best of my knowledge the Minister did not say in replying that he was satisfied. Therefore am I to presume that the Minister is dissatisfied with the progress being made at present?
The Deputy is quite right — I am not hiding the fact at all — I am quite dissatisfied. I would wish to see a lot more done more quickly with regard to the conference but I am a realist.
Would the Minister say what progress if any, has been made with regard to the burning issues of supergrass trials, UDR patrols, plastic bullets, strip searches and the like to date?
There has been some progress made. These things are being examined by one of the two subcommittees established after a meeting of the Attorneys General and the Minister for Justice held in February. There were two subgroups set up to report to them. Some progress has been made with regard to those, not sufficient, but some.
Would the Minister say when it would be likely that we would read any news of any real progress having been made in these areas in the communiqués issued after these meetings?
I would not wish to get into putting dates and times on matters which are extremely complex. The lack of confidence in the administration of justice in the North of Ireland is something about which the resentment in Nationalist minds has been building up for over half a century now. To pretend that one could dissipate or resolve all of that resentment in a matter of a few weeks or even a few months would be foolhardy on my part.
Is the Minister aware that we did not have supergrass trials or strip searching 50 years ago?
I am calling Question No. 9.
Supergrass trials constitute one of the manifestations of the lack of confidence in the system of justice.