Ruairí Quinn
Question:20 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the Government will give effect to the agreement on cross Border bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25645/98]
Other Questions. - British-Irish Agreement.
Bernard Allen
Question:22 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the decisions, if any, he has made to date under strand two of the Agreement for co-operation; and the areas of co-operation he will be involved in under his area responsibility. [22440/98]
John Bruton
Question:27 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the work of his officials in Belfast in recent weeks in negotiating cross Border bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24657/98]
Jack Wall
Question:32 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position of discussions on the setting up of cross-Border bodies under the British-Irish Agreement. [27579/98]
Jim O'Keeffe
Question:43 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the areas proposed for North-South co-operation; the progress, if any, made in discussions on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27531/98]
Enda Kenny
Question:45 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress, if any, being made in cross Border co-operation in relation to arts, culture, the Irish language and heritage issues; and his programme of work in this area for the first half of 1999. [25119/98]
Austin Currie
Question:52 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposals, if any, he has for greater co-operation in energy matters North and South of the Border; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27060/98]
John Bruton
Question:132 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of work hours spent by officials from his Department in Belfast in recent weeks in negotiating cross Border bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25531/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 22, 27, 32, 43, 45, 52 and 132 together.
I refer the Deputies to my reply to priority Questions Nos. 13 and 16.
The Government attaches the highest importance to the implementation of the North-South aspects of the Agreement. They constitute an essential part of the overall balance of the British-Irish Agreement. The Government has been actively involved in reaching agreement with the Northern parties, in consultation with the British Government, on identifying the initial areas for North-South co-operation and implementation. The Taoiseach and I, both directly and through our officials, have remained in ongoing contact with all the main players. We will continue in our efforts to achieve early agreement in this area.
Deputies have tabled questions about a number of specific areas of North-South co-operation, namely, arts, culture, Irish language and heritage issues and in energy matters. These are all areas to which we attach importance in the context of the work of the North-South ministerial council, and possibly of the North-South implementation bodies. Deputies will appreciate that, in view of the sensitivity of the discussions between the Government and the Northern parties, it would be inappropriate for me to comment in detail on the individual areas in question.
As we speak, there are serious ongoing negotiations taking place in Belfast on the North-South implementation bodies.
I appreciate the Minister saying there are sensitivities involved in the detail of the discussions on the North-South bodies. Have there been extensive discussions on detail and, if so, will he indicate whether they are advancing the aspects listed in the various questions? To what extent has the detail been discussed?
During recent weeks and particularly since the round table talks with the political parties, the Taoiseach, I and the Minister of State, the whole apparatus of the Department of Foreign Affairs, specifically the Anglo-Irish section and of the Taoiseach's Department and other Departments which are required from time to time, have been involved in trying to resolve the impasse in relation to the problem of the implementation bodies, under the North-South ministerial council. We are anxious to complete the task we set out to do. We hope it can be completed before Christmas. On the question of contact between the parties, the Taoiseach, I and others have invested enormous amounts of time and energy in trying to resolve the detail of the issues involved. In relation to the matters under consideration — I am grateful to the House for the manner in which it has met my request — it would not be appropriate for me to set out the implementation bodies under discussion. If the Deputy looks at the annex under strand two, page 14 of the multi-party agreement document, she will get a flavour of what might be expected in the context of implementation bodies on an all-island basis and bodies for co-operation within each jurisdiction.
I shall take two final brief supplementaries from Deputies Gay Mitchell and De Rossa.
Specifically on Question No. 45 which refers to arts, culture, heritage and matters of that kind, will the Minister agree the fact that RTE is not received in Northern Ireland as strongly as UTV and BBC Northern Ireland is received in the Republic, does not allow for the creation of the level of understanding which will be desirable? What progress has been made in ensuring RTE's range of services on TV and radio are available throughout Northern Ireland? It would be a very useful development.
I appreciate the sensitivity of the negotiations and I do not propose to probe in that area. Has the Government given consideration to the legislation that will be necessary, even on a framework basis, which would end the signing off of agreement by all sides in relation to these cross-Border bodies?
The legislation is ready to be taken immediately by the House in relation to whatever implementation bodies are produced at the end of the ongoing sensitive negotiations. On Deputy Mitchell's question on RTE, I agree the signal going North is not strong. That matter is being looked at. It is an issue I have addressed and will continue to address. The more information we can send North from this jurisdiction the better, in the context of what we all seek to achieve, peace on this island.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.