asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his meeting yesterday with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and in particular whether he is now satisfied that progress is being made towards the opening of dialogue within the North of Ireland and between the North and South of Ireland.
Private Notice Question. - Meeting with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
My meeting with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland took place in the context of ongoing contact between the two Governments on the prospects for political progress. We had a full and positive exchange of views on all the relevant issues.
First, I would like to state I am particularly conscious of the sensitive position the Minister is in and in that regard I do not want to push this issue unduly. I wish to express my own disappointment that at a time when the parties in Northern Ireland are being briefed on this issue we, in Opposition in this House, have to rely on newspapers and statements from Government sources as per The Irish Times of today. Will the Minister make clear that if North-South talks do take place as part of the overall process, which he has referred to, that in order to have the widest possible basis to secure consensus the Opposition parties in this House would be involved at an early stage?
I am sure that can be considered at the appropriate time.
Order of Business, please.
May I ask the Minister if he would be a little more forthcoming at a time when all the constitutional parties in Northern Ireland are being briefed — and it appears they are being trusted in the course of those briefings, as one meeting taking place today is further to the meetings of the last week — and accept that in the context of setting out to achieve dialogue in the first instance and then to achieve a settlement, it would be in the Government's own interest that the parties in Opposition in this House would be involved at a very early stage? Given that the parties in the North of Ireland are being consulted and obviously their full involvement is being sought, it would be in the interests of all the parties on this island, and indeed in Britain, that they would be fully involved.
We are now having repetition.
I note very carefully the reasons offered by the Deputy in support of his request. This matter will be give very careful consideration at the appropriate time.