Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 January 2017
344. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on advancing political stability after the elections in Northern Ireland on 2 March 2017 and on having a fully functioning Executive thereafter and implementing in full the outstanding areas of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements. [2733/17]
View answer355. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions his Department has planned in the event of the power-sharing Administration in Northern Ireland not being formed after new elections. [1991/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 344 and 355 together.
As a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government is constantly engaged with the British Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and the political parties to support the peace process and political progress in Northern Ireland on the basis of the Agreement. In recent weeks, both the Taoiseach and I had intensified contacts with the parties and the British Government on the political difficulties that were threatening the continuation of the Executive.
Following the resignation of the deputy First Minister on 9 January, it was clear that the prospect of a resolution ahead of the triggering of an Assembly election was slim. However both Governments, in their capacity as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, made full use of the narrow window available to encourage that any avenues for resolution between the parties prior to an election be fully explored.
In the event, an Assembly election has been triggered and will be held on Thursday 2 March. It is important to emphasise that this eventuality is one covered by the legislation governing the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland. When parties in an administration cannot agree, an election is the consequence and the outcome of that is now for the electorate in Northern Ireland to determine.
In my discussions with each of the party leaders in Northern Ireland, I have urged all parties in the election to be measured and responsible in their rhetoric so that the political institutions of the Agreement will not be damaged in the longer-term. I will continue to underline this imperative in the weeks ahead.
Effective devolved Government, underpinned by a genuine spirit of partnership, is what the people of Northern Ireland voted for in 1998 and what they expect their politicians to deliver. After the election, it will therefore fall to the parties to form a power-sharing Executive and this will require the parties to find a way forward on issues which contributed to the calling of the election. In this regard, it is of the utmost importance that all parties bear in mind the principles of mutual respect, partnership and equality, which underpin the Good Friday Agreement. The Government is of course always ready to support and assist the parties in any way we can. Our commitment as a co-guarantor of the Agreement is a constant one – in good times and bad.
A number of elements of the Good Friday Agreement and St Andrews Agreement have not yet been fully implemented. The Government’s firm position is that the Good Friday Agreement and the successor Agreements must be implemented in full, and this is reflected in the Programme for a Partnership Government. The Agreements, and the principles and values underpinning them, are at the core of the Government’s approach to peace, reconciliation and prosperity on this island.
Several of the outstanding provisions are specifically referenced in the 2014 Stormont House Agreement including provisions on the Irish language, the obligation to promote a culture of tolerance, mutual respect and mutual understanding at every level of society and new priorities for North South cooperation. The Stormont House Agreement provides for regular review meetings with the participation of the Government, the British Government and the Executive party leaders.
At the last two Review Meetings – most recently in December – I had the opportunity to draw attention to these outstanding commitments, which go to the heart of the Good Friday Agreement, so that they remain on the political agenda.
The Government views as a solemn responsibility our role and mandate as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement. We have been unstinting in our efforts to uphold the principles of the Agreement and to advance the full implementation of all provisions.
The Government will continue to work with the British Government and the political parties to fulfil the full promise of the Good Friday Agreement and to advance political stability, reconciliation and economic prosperity in Northern Ireland.
