Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 April 2018
113. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the recent statement regarding the Loyalist Declaration of Transformation that was made recently. [16493/18]
View answerI welcomed the Loyalist Declaration of Transformation issued on 9 April last, coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The leaders of loyalism played a crucial role in negotiating the Agreement and in winning the referendum that endorsed the Agreement, and their recent statement reaffirms their commitment to the principles of the Agreement and to the peace process.
I acknowledge and share the concerns, expressed by some since the statement was released, that there are communities that have not fully benefitted from the peace process even after 20 years. In response to these concerns, I wish to reaffirm the Irish Government’s determination to work in partnership with the British Government and with representatives from all communities and sectors in Northern Ireland to foster greater reconciliation and progress.
I also welcome the clear and unequivocal rejection of criminal actions from within loyalism. Giving real effect to this declaration would make a major contribution towards the transformation of loyalist communities and would be a real enabler for the social, economic and political development of Northern Ireland as a whole.
