Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 4

Written Answers. - Northern Ireland Issues.

John Gormley

Question:

154 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views in relation to the continued punishment beatings in Northern Ireland; the measures, if any, he proposes to deal with these human rights abuses in view of the implications for the ceasefires in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3477/99]

John Gormley

Question:

155 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will welcome an invitation to Amnesty International to look into the human rights aspects of punishment attacks in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3698/99]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 155 together.

I wish to avail of this opporturnity to state once more my complete abhorrence of punishment attacks of all types. All of the parties to the British-Irish Agreement are united in their call for such attacks to end.

Punishment beatings have been a part of the violence which has scarred Northern Ireland over the past thirty years. It is right, in the aftermath of the achievement of the British-Irish Agreement, that society expects such beatings to end immediately, just as we expect an end to the appalling sectarian attacks on vulnerable nationalist famillies which we have seen in recent weeks. There is a particular responsibility on those parties associated with paramilitary organisations to help to bring punishment beatings to an end. In this regard, I welcome the recent comments by Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin, who said that punishment beatings are brutal. They are dehumanising and should stop, no matter who is involved in them.

I welcome the decision by Amnesty International to fulfil its long-standing commitment to travel to Northern Ireland to assess the current human rights and justice situation. The organisation has, however, made clear that its decision was not made in the light of any political pressure, and that its investigation will have a far broader remit than punishment attacks alone. It will also consider issues such as policing and the administration of justice and will make a full and comprehensive report available in due course.

John Gormley

Question:

156 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views in relation to recent reports that the loyalist paramilitaries are re-arming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3697/99]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

The activities of paramilitary groups are regularly assessed by the relevant security authorities. They are also discussed on an ongoing basis through the framework of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental conference. When media reports concerning claims of a re-arming of one group came to light on 3 February 1999 they were immediately raised by the Department of Foreign Affairs through the framework of the conference. The British side indicated that the RUC was investigating the authenticity of the claims.

There is at this stage no indication that the report claims have had any effect on the loyalist ceasefires, and I welcome in this regard the reassuring remarks of a senior member of the political party associated with the group in question. I can assure the Deputy that we will continue to monitor the situation closely. I would also like to add that I have repeatedly and strongly condemned the activities of loyalist paramilitaries who are not on ceasefire and who have conducted a series of recent attacks on vulnerable nationalist families and locations.

John Gormley

Question:

157 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions, if any, he has had with representatives of the British Government in relation to the moves to suspend the prison releases in response to punishment attacks in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2516/99]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

The Government remains in close contact with the British Government on the implementation of all aspects of the British-Irish Agreement.

The Agreement's provisions on prisoners were negotiated and agreed by both the Irish and British Governments and by all the parties involved in the talks as an integral part of a comprehensive, balanced and interlocking package. The Agreement was endorsed by an overwhelming majority of the electorate in the island of Ireland, and both Governments are determined that it will be implemented in its entirety.

Legislation has been enacted in the State and in Northern Ireland to give effect to the commitment to an accelerated programme for the release of qualifying prisoners, and all releases are made in accordance with this legislation. Neither Government proposes to introduce in the legislation criteria for which there is no provision in the British-Irish Agreement.

The Government unequivocally condemns so-called punishment beatings, irrespective of who the perpetrators are. However, we are convinced that to slow down or halt the release programme would not resolve this problem; rather, it would place a further obstacle in the way of full implementation of the Agreement and the development of functioning political structures in Northern Ireland.