Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 March 2013
92. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress he and his officials are making with the proposed Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland as provided for in the Good Friday Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9703/13]
View answer94. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the contacts he has had with the Northern Secretary of State Ms Theresa Villiers in relation to the implementation of outstanding aspects of the Good Friday Agreement. [9926/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 94 together.
The Government remains firmly committed to ensuring the full and effective implementation of the Good Friday and St. Andrew’s Agreements.
In contacts with the British government, we continue to stress the importance of implementation of all aspects of the Agreement, including of a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland which takes account of the separate and specific context of Northern Ireland. We continue to urge all the parties in the Assembly to engage in constructive discussion with a view to reaching agreement on the substance of a Bill of Rights.
A Bill of Rights drawn up by agreement between the main parties of the Assembly could set out precisely and formally the rights upon which a shared future for the people of Northern Ireland can be based.
All parties to the Good Friday Agreement recognised the importance of respect, understanding and tolerance in relation to linguistic diversity, including in Northern Ireland, the Irish language and the languages of the various ethnic communities, as part of the cultural wealth of the island of Ireland.
In the St. Andrews Agreement, the British government committed to introducing an Irish Language Act reflecting on the experience of Wales and Ireland and to working with the Executive to enhance and protect the development of the Irish Language.
It also called on the incoming Northern Ireland Executive to work to enhance and protect the development of the Irish language. The British legislation giving effect to the St. Andrews Agreement included a specific requirement on the Executive to adopt a strategy setting out how it proposed to enhance and protect the development of the Irish language.
Since the restoration of the devolved Institutions on 8 May 2007, the question of an Irish Language Act for Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive. In that regard, my colleagues the Minister for Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, Mr. Jimmy Deenihan T.D. and Minister of State Dinny McGinley T.D. have had ongoing discussions on the matter with their counterpart, the Northern Ireland Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA. On 11 July 2012, Minister Ní Chuilín launched a consultation process which concluded on 27 November on strategies for the Irish language and Ulster Scots. Inputs from the consultation process are now being considered.
Last November I visited An Chultúrlann in Belfast which is a very impressive Irish language and cultural centre. I had the opportunity to meet with some of the city’s leading Irish language activists and to hear their concerns regarding the promotion of the Irish language including their views on an Irish language act for Northern Ireland. Officials in my Department maintain regular and ongoing contact with the Irish language community in Northern Ireland, most recently when they attended the official opening of Gaeláras Mhic Ardghail in Newry on Monday 18 February.
The Government continues to follow developments closely in relation to the proposed Act, as well as the overall enhancement and protection of the Irish Language in Northern Ireland.
The Good Friday Agreement also provided for the establishment of a Consultative Civic Forum as a consultative mechanism in Northern Ireland on social, economic and cultural issues.
The St. Andrews Agreement provided that the Northern Ireland Executive would support the establishment of an independent North/South Consultative Forum appointed by the two administrations and representative of civil society. In September 2008 the Irish Government submitted proposals for the role, format, membership and operation of a North South Consultative Forum to the Executive for its consideration, and facilitated three consultative conferences, the most recent of which was in January 2011. The review of the Civic Forum by the Northern Ireland Executive has not yet been completed. At its meeting on 2 November 2012, the North-South Ministerial Council noted the current position on a North South Consultative Forum and agreed to review the issue at a future NSMC Plenary.
I hope that we can take this opportunity of the 15th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement to recall the vision of a shared society which inspired that Agreement and re-dedicate ourselves to the achievement of that goal. While there are undoubtedly challenges ahead, we should not lose sight of the progress that continues to be made, including, most recently though the establishment of the North South Inter Parliamentary Association.
Question No. 93 answered with Question No. 89.
Question No. 94 answered with Question No. 92.
