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Northern Ireland Issues.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2004

Tuesday, 23 March 2004

Questions (189)

Charlie O'Connor

Question:

189 Mr. O’Connor asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his contacts with political parties in the North regarding the peace process; if his attention has been drawn to the widespread interest in this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8300/04]

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Written answers

Since the review of the operation of the Good Friday Agreement was convened on 3 February 2004, we have had the opportunity to meet with all the political parties elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Over recent weeks, in partnership with the British Government, I and the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, have met with the parties on several occasions to discuss all aspects of the operation of the Agreement and to examine ways to resolve the outstanding issues.

On 9 February the Secretary of State, Paul Murphy, MP, and I met the Alliance Party, Sinn Féin, SDLP, DUP and UUP when we discussed a broad range of issues, including institutional matters regarding strands two and three. The Secretary of State, Mr. Murphy, also updated me on strand one meetings that had taken place the previous day.

Following the alleged abduction of a man in Belfast on 20 February, the review meetings on 24 February and 2 March focused primarily on paramilitary activity. After discussions with all the parties, both Governments asked the Independent Monitoring Commission to bring forward its first report, from July to May, covering all paramilitary activities since its establishment in early January. The commission subsequently indicated that the report would be presented to both Governments in early April. On 9 March, I met the Secretary of State, Mr. Murphy, in Stormont to review developments. On that day, I also met a DUP delegation and Mark Durkan, MLA, leader of the SDLP.

On 11 March, the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, MP, met at Farmleigh to assess the state of the process and to seek to add momentum to the efforts of the two Governments to find a way forward. To follow up on this meeting, the Taoiseach and Prime Minister, accompanied by appropriate colleagues, will meet the parties at Hillsborough Castle today. In all our meetings to date, the Government has made it clear that we are determined to see an early restoration of stable inclusive political institutions with a definitive end to all forms of paramilitarism. The Taoiseach recently stated: "There can be no half-way house between violence and democracy" and equally "no comfortable resting place between exclusion and partnership".

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