John Bruton
Question:6 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the plans, if any, he has to meet the newly appointed Ministers to the Northern Ireland Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25909/99]
Written Answers. - Northern Ireland Issues.
John Bruton
Question:7 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the plans, if any, he has to visit Northern Ireland before the end of 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25910/99]
John Gormley
Question:8 Mr. Gormley asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. [26053/99]
John Gormley
Question:9 Mr. Gormley asked the Taoiseach the plans, if any, he has to meet with President Clinton in the immediate future. [26054/99]
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:10 Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin asked the Taoiseach the role his Department will play in the implementation of the cross-Border and all-Ireland aspects of the Good Friday Agreement. [26075/99]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:11 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the plans, if any, he has to meet the Northern Ireland First Minister and Deputy First Minister following the devolution of powers to the Northern Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26201/99]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:12 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the progress made in regard to the implementation of the aspects of the Good Friday Agreement for which his Department has responsibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26202/99]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:13 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach when the first full meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council will take place; the plans, if any, he has to participate in it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26203/99]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:14 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach when the first meeting of the British-Irish Council will take place; the plans, if any, he has to participate in it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26204/99]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:15 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach when the Council of the Isles will be established; the basis on which representatives of Dáil Éireann will be selected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26205/99]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:16 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the plans, if any, he has for a meeting with the British Prime Minister on the margins of the EU Summit in Helsinki to review progress in Northern Ireland following the devolution of powers to the Northern Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26206/99]
John Bruton
Question:17 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent discussions with the First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Leader of the UUP, Mr. David Trimble; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26211/99]
John Bruton
Question:18 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent discussions with the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Mr. Seamus Mallon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26214/99]
John Bruton
Question:19 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the communications, if any, he has had with President Clinton since the UUP executive council meeting on 27 November 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26215/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 19, inclusive, together.
The first plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council will take place in Armagh on Monday next, 13 December 1999. In line with the provisions of the relevant Agreements, I will lead the Government delegation from this jurisdiction. The first meeting of the British-Irish Council in plenary format will take place on Friday, 17 December, in London. Again, in line with the provisions of the relevant Agreements, I will lead the Irish Government delegation.
Strand Three of the Good Friday Agreement provides that "the British-Irish Council will meet in different formats: at summit level, twice per year; in specific formats on a regular basis, with each side represented by the appropriate Minister". However, the Agreement also provides that "the elected institutions of the members will be encouraged to develop interparliamentary links, perhaps building on the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body". Now that the Agreement has entered into force, steps will be taken to follow-up on the parliamentary aspect. This will require consultation with and within the two Houses of the Oireachtas. It will be necessary to take account of the existence of the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body, which has already considered its future in light of the Agreement and which will need to be consulted further.
My Department has played a key role, with the other Departments involved, including through intensive contact with No. 10 Downing Street, in supporting and assisting the efforts by Senator George Mitchell, in his review, to overcome the difficulties which had prevented the implementation of the institutional aspects of the Agreement. The outcome of those efforts has been apparent over the past three weeks and has led to the British-Irish Agreement entering into force and to the implementation last week of the insti tutional and constitutional aspects of the Agreement.
In addition, my Department played a major role in the implementation of the North-South aspects of the Agreement, including the negotiation of the areas for implementation bodies and for co-operation through existing bodies in each jurisdiction, the negotiation of the supplementary international agreements on the North-South Ministerial Council, the British-Irish Council, the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference and especially the implementation bodies, in the preparation and enactment of the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999, and the British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Act, 1999, in the settlement of the procedure for the North-South Ministerial Council and in preparation for such practical matters as the joint designation by the Irish and British Governments of persons to carry out on an interim basis the functions of chief executives of the implementation bodies, pending the appointment of actual chief executives, – which has been done – , the nomination of persons to be chairpersons, vice chairpersons and directors of those implementation bodies that will have them and the settlement of the negotiating position of the Irish Government on the locations of the headquarters and other locations of the bodies.
All these matters were taken forward vigorously with a view to the establishment of the implementation bodies, which occurred on Thursday last and to enabling them to be operational as soon as possible. This involved a large amount of co-ordination with all other Departments involved, including on such matters as financial memoranda and staffing principles for the bodies.
My Department has also played a substantial role in advancing follow-up in regard to the six agreed areas for co-operation, where implementation is to be by existing bodies in the two jurisdictions, so as to enable a solid follow-up on these matters in the initial meetings of the North-South Ministerial Council in various sectoral formats. My Department has also had a significant input in regard to implementation of other areas of the Agreement as they apply to this jurisdiction, including, for example, human rights aspects, matters relating to the victims of violence and the promotion of reconciliation, but other Departments are primarily responsible for these areas.
For the future, my Department will continue to play an active role in the further implementation of the Agreement, in all the areas that I have already identified and in providing the necessary support for me in my participation in the meetings of the plenary format of the North-South Ministerial Council, which are to take place twice a year. As regards wider arrangements for steering and co-ordinating the implementation of the cross-Border and all-island aspects of the Good Friday Agreement, this requires careful consideration which I and the Government will be giving to the matter in the period immediately ahead.
Further to the provision under the section of the Good Friday Agreement relating to rights, safeguards and equality of opportunity, which states that the Irish Government will "continue to take further active steps to demonstrate its respect for the different traditions in the island of Ireland", the Irish Government has paid £150,000 for the Irish Peace Park in Messines, and has committed a further allocation of £50,000. Some £24,000 has been allocated to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association towards the costs of developing a multimedia presentation aimed at highlighting the sacrifices made by all traditions on this island in World War One. Funding has also been allocated to the Cork Lions Club towards the costs of restoring the Cenotaph on South Mall in Cork City and to the Ulster Society, towards the costs of their ongoing activities aimed at promoting Ulster-British heritage and culture. A grant is also being made to the Ulster Historical Foundation towards the costs of their project entitled History of the Irish Parliament.
I was glad to announce, on Sunday last, that the Government has agreed in principle to purchase the site of the Battle of the Boyne. A special interdepartmental committee, established by my colleague the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Andrews, has been tasked with bringing forward comprehensive long-term proposals for the development of the site. We are spending £150,000 on immediate interim measures to improve public access, visitor facilities and information material. In opening up this hugely important part of our shared heritage to the people of this island and to overseas visitors, the Government will continue to consult closely with representatives of the unionist tradition, with the relevant local authorities and with community groups.
I have been in regular contact with the officeholders and parties in Northern Ireland and with other relevant Government leaders over recent days and weeks. On the subject of a meeting with President Clinton, there are no plans for such a meeting in the near future. However, I met the President at the OSCE Summit in Istanbul three weeks ago. I hope to meet with the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in Helsinki on Thursday evening next, 9 December where we will take the opportunity to review progress in Northern Ireland as well as to discuss European matters.