Vol. 403 No. 6
1 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if agreement has been reached, with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, as to when the Irish Government will enter the proposed talks regarding the future of Northern Ireland.
31 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report to Dáil Éireann on the outcome of his discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on Friday, 30 November 1990.
33 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference; if he will give his assessment of the prospects for the Brooke initiative in the light of these talks; and if the Government intend to take any steps or initiatives to help the progress of the talks.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Priority Questions Nos. 1, 31 and 33 together.
At the meeting of the Inter-governmental Conference on 30 November, the Secretary of State and I had a full discussion on the present prospects for political progress. Our discussion was conducted in an extremely positive atmosphere; we are both determined, in so far as it lies within our power, to ensure that the remaining difficulties are resolved so as to open the way for talks involving the two Governments and the parties in the North.
At the Conference, the Irish side conveyed various ideas which we hope might help to take the process forward. In the light of our discussions, the Secretary of State will now seek further meetings with the leaders of the main constitutional parties in Northern Ireland.
The Joint Statement issued at the conclusion of the Conference has been published and is available in the Dáil Library.
It was reported about a fortnight ago that the precise time the Irish Government would enter into the talks had been agreed between the British and Irish Governments last April — between the Minister and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland — and was confirmed at a meeting between the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister the following day. If that report is correct will the Minister indicate to the House what other difficulties lie in the way of the talks?
I suggest that people should not get too hung up on the question of whether the two Governments have reached agreement. Indeed, Mr. Brooke has repeatedly described himself as a facilitator. Both he and I are acutely aware that even if the two Governments can reach agreement on a common position, progress is crucially dependent on the attitudes adopted by the political parties in Northern Ireland.
That is an interesting reply but it does not answer the question I asked. Is it true that the British and Irish Governments reached agreement last April that the Irish Government could enter the talks within a few days of their commencing?
There will be more participants than just the two Governments if the talks get under way: there will also be, of course, the parties in Northern Ireland without whom the talks cannot take place. As I have said, people should not get too hung up on the suggestion of an agreement between the two Governments. Great efforts have been made by the two Governments to try to establish a framework within which talks can take place between the Governments, their representatives and the political parties.
May I——
Please, Deputy Barry, I was hoping to make some progress on other questions.
There are further questions in my name and I am anxious to make progress as well.
I know but I am anxious to dispose of all questions.
The Minister appears to be side-stepping the question I asked. It was a bit naive of him to say that we should not be too concerned about what stage the Irish Government enter into the talks. As far as I can judge from newspaper reports, the only delay in bringing the four parties together around a table is the decision on what stage the Irish Government can enter the negotiations. Evidently this is different to the proposal put forward by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to the Minister last April and agreed by the Irish Government. The Government were correct to agree to this reasonable proposal. The position of the Official Unionists Party is that the Irish Government should only enter into the talks after substantial progress has been made. That is totally unreasonable——
I am afraid the Deputy is embarking on a speech.
——because it is an openended discussion——
This is not good enough.
The Minister should avail of this opportunity——
Please, Deputy Barry.
——to remove a lot of the fog surrounding these talks.
Please, Deputy Barry I had hoped for brevity and progress.
If there is a difficulty with the Unionists the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has an obligation to bring them to the table——
Very briefly, Deputy Barry is right in so far as there are difficulties involved. He referred to one difficulty but there are other difficulties and we are making a very determined effort to try to deal with them.
Question No. 2 from the same Deputy.
I do not want to pursue this question unduly but I understand——
Please, Deputy Barry, I insist on taking Question No. 2.
