Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 November 2013
43. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has conveyed to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and to Members of the Northern Ireland Executive his concerns on the recent comments of the Attorney General for Northern Ireland on historical crimes; if he will state clearly that such an amnesty would not be acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51236/13]
View answerIt is clear that the Legacy of the Past needs to be dealt with to allow Northern Ireland to move on to a truly peaceful and reconciled society. Efforts to address the legacy should be motivated, above all, by a commitment to making progress towards reconciliation and a cohesive society. The ongoing Panel of Parties Talks have stimulated a welcome discussion on these issues with the engagement of a wide-range of stakeholders. The Government’s position is that it is essential to acknowledge and to take account of the very real needs of victims in any process dealing with the legacy of the past. It is clear also that dealing with the legacy of the past will require a broad and considered range of measures and that an amnesty for all historical crimes does not answer that need.
The Government is in regular contact with all the parties in the Northern Ireland Executive and with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. We continue to urge all participants in the Panel of Parties Talks to grasp the opportunity offered by the current process to address the legacy of the past as well as disputes regarding flags and parades. The Government remains fully committed, as co-guarantor of the Agreements, to supporting further progress towards reconciliation, both in the context of the current talks process and in the longer term.
