Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Nov 1997

Vol. 482 No. 3

Written Answers. - RUC Reform.

John Bruton

Question:

25 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement of the recent announcement by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland about proposed new antiterrorist legislation in the United Kingdom and reform of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. [15670/97]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

On 30 October 1997, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Dr. Mo Mowlam, published the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Bill. This Bill will have the effect of extending the life of the Emergency Provisions Act for two years beyond its current expiry date in August next year. The Bill also proposes removing the internment provisions of the EPA, and will provide for the audio recording of interrogations of persons suspected of terrorist offences. It will also amend the schedule of offences attached to the Act to increase the number of offences which may be "certified out" from trial in the Diplock Courts.

Also on 30 October, the Home Secretary announced the British Government's intention to present new proposals to replace both the Emergency Provisions Act and the Prevention of Terrorism Act with permanent United Kingdomwide counter-terrorism legislation. A joint Home Office-Northern Ireland Office consultation paper containing these proposals will be published early in the new year. I welcome the proposed formal abolition of internment, which will have an important symbolic value to the Nationalist community in Northern Ireland. I also welcome the proposals for the audio recording of interrogations and for amending the schedule of the EPA. These are steps which have been advocated by successive Irish Governments, and they will serve to build confidence and underpin the peace process. I also welcome the ending of exclusion orders under the PTA by the British Home Secretary.

I regret it is proposed to extend the EPA for a further two years from next August. In the context of the consultation paper to which I referred and within the framework of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, the Government will continue to make known our concerns about the operation of both the PTA and EPA to the British authorities. We continue to favour the earliest possible dismantling of such emergency provisions.

In regard to reform of the RUC, I understand that a draft Bill on policing is currently being finalised. As the British authorities have made clear, it will however focus primarily on changes to the tripartite management structure of policing, that is the relationship between the Secretary of State, the Chief Constable and the Police Authority for Northern Ireland.

The fundamental issues relating to the lack of Nationalist confidence in the RUC remain to be addressed in the context of the current talks process. A future police service in Northern Ireland must reflect the community it serves both in its composition and ethos. In particular, it must accord equal esteem to the Nationalist and Unionist identities. The Government will pursue these objectives within the talks in dialogue with the British Government and the parties.