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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Dec 1998

Vol. 498 No. 4

Written Answers. - British-Irish Agreement.

John Bruton

Question:

23 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement, following the visit of the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, to Belfast and Dublin, on his assessment of the state of the implementation programme of the British-Irish Agreement. [25603/98]

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

40 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his most recent meeting with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; and his assessment of the prospects for early full implementation of the British-Irish Agreement in view of his meeting. [27545/98]

Brian O'Shea

Question:

46 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress, if any, made recently on the formation of a shadow executive and North-South bodies under the auspices of the British-Irish Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23688/98]

Ivor Callely

Question:

109 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the developments on progressing all aspects of the British-Irish Agreement; the outstanding matters that should be in place as included in the agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27526/98]

Trevor Sargent

Question:

113 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on recent contacts, if any, with the office of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. [27297/98]

Trevor Sargent

Question:

115 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the progress since 30 October 1998 on the establishment of the Northern Ireland Executive envisaged by the British-Irish Agreement. [24372/98]

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

130 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his assessment of the prospects for progress in relation to implementation of the provisions of the British-Irish Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25571/98]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 40, 46, 109, 113, 115 and 130 together.

I refer to my reply to Priority Questions Nos. 13 and 16. As I have already outlined, the Government continues to attach the highest priority to the speedy implementation of the British-Irish Agreement in all its aspects.

Despite the considerable progress we have made on the implementation of the Agreement, there is, as yet, no agreement on areas for North-South implementation bodies, while the issue of decommissioning and the establishment of the shadow executive remains unresolved. The Government will continue to work constructively in whatever way it can to seek to conclude agreement in these areas so as to move the process forward.
I wish to assure the House that the Government will continue to work constructively with the British Government and the parties to secure progress on implementation of the Agreement. Prime Minister Blair's visit to Ireland last month was part of the continuing close co-operation between the two Governments to ensure the earliest possible implementation of the Agreement. I had a most useful meeting with the Secretary of State, Mo Mowlam, in London last Thursday evening on ways to move the process forward, while the Taoiseach had significant discussions with the British Prime Minister at the European Council in Vienna last weekend.
Despite the substantial progress we have made since April, difficulties remain to be resolved as we move to implement the Agreement. The people of this island have spoken on this Agreement and have given it their endorsement. We, as political representatives, have a solemn duty to ensure that their will is delivered in full.
I should mention that as we speak there are serious ongoing discussions taking place in Belfast on the North/South implementation bodies.
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