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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Dec 1998

Vol. 498 No. 4

Written Answers. - Northern Ireland Issues.

Conor Lenihan

Question:

117 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the widespread increase in sections of the nationalist community in relation to the continued role of the RUC in policing their areas. [27583/98]

Conor Lenihan

Question:

118 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department will make an official submission to the Patten Commission on the re-organisation of the RUC. [27584/98]

Conor Lenihan

Question:

119 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the regionalisation of community style policing in the North. [27585/98]

Conor Lenihan

Question:

120 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the future of the RUC; and his views on radical change in the composition of the force. [27586/98]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 117, 118, 119 and 120 together.

The British-Irish Agreement provided for the establishment of an Independent Commission on Policing to make recommendations for future policing arrangements in Northern Ireland, including means of encouraging widespread community support for these arrangements. In accordance with this commitment, the British Government established a commission under the chairmanship of the former Governor of Hong Kong, Mr. Chris Patten. What the recommendations of that commission must achieve are clearly set out in the British-Irish Agreement. As the Agreement states, the commission's proposals should be designed to ensure that policing arrangements, including composition, recruitment, training, culture, ethos and symbols, are such that in a new approach, Northern Ireland has a police service that can enjoy widespread support from, and is seen as an integral part of, the community as a whole.

In formulating its recommendations, the commission is charged with inquiring into policing in Northern Ireland. It is currently undertaking a process of wide consultation amongst all interested groups and individuals in Northern Ireland. I understand that the commission has received a large number of submissions offering a variety of approaches and proposals. Regionalisation and community-style policing are issues which are favoured by some parties. All the proposals will, I am confident, be reviewed and considered by the commission and its members. They have all added to the debate on policing. However, it would not be appropriate for me to seek to pre-empt the deliberations or the recommendations of the commission.

I welcome the recent statement by the chairman of the commission that he will have access to the reports of the Stalker and Stevens inquiries into the RUC. It is vitally important that the public has confidence that the commission has fully discharged its obligation to ensure that its recommendations will be based on a full and complete knowledge of policing in Northern Ireland. The Government continues to monitor the relations between the security forces and the community in Northern Ireland, including the operation of the RUC, and to make representations as appropriate to the British authorities through the frame-work of the Intergovernmental Conference.

The Government set out its views on the need for fundamental changes in policing in Northern Ireland at a meeting between Government officials and the Patten Commission in September. Further meetings between Government officials and commission members are envisaged. If, in addition, we feel that we could further assist the commission in formulating recommendations consistent with the objectives set out in the Agreement, we would be prepared to provide supplementary clarification at the appropriate time. The real source of detailed proposals remains the views of those who are to be policed under the new structures and arrangements — the people of Northern Ireland and their political and community leaders. Their views will greatly help the commission to fulfil its mandate of making recommendations which, in the words of the Agreement, will provide the opportunity for a new beginning to policing in Northern Ireland.

Conor Lenihan

Question:

123 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on a recent initiative by the IRA to seek public assistance in recovering the bodies of the disappeared victims of violence over the past 25 years. [27589/98]

I welcome the fact that the IRA have requested help in locating the bodies of the disappeared. There are missing persons on both sides of the community and I again call on all those who have any information which might lead to the identification of their whereabouts to come forward at the earliest possible opportunity. Over the years, the grief of the relatives has been compounded by the anguish of not knowing the whereabouts of their loved ones. It is essential that this matter should be resolved at the earliest opportunity. I believe a resolution of this question would promote healing and reconciliation throughout the island and would have a genuine confidence building effect.

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