Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 January 2019
121. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has met or spoken with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland since the car bomb in Derry was found on 19 January 2019 and the following threats of violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4041/19]
View answerOfficials of my Department in Dublin and in the British-Irish Secretariat in Belfast, as well as colleagues in the Department of Justice and Equality, were in ongoing contact with their counterparts in the NIO following the car-bomb attack and subsequent security incidents in Derry, and both Minister Flanagan and I were kept fully briefed on developments on an ongoing basis throughout that period.
I spoke with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ms Karen Bradley, on 22 January last about the car-bomb attack and the overall security situation in Derry. We both expressed our strong condemnation of the incidents, as well as our concern for the community whose lives have been disrupted over the past number of days.
The people who carried out these attacks do not speak for the people of Derry. Since last week, we have seen a strong cross-community response in the city, from political, business and community leaders, and it is these people who are the true representatives of their community. The people of this island, North and South, have repeatedly expressed their support for the peace process and their utter rejection of violence. The Secretary of State and I are determined that the two Governments will continue to work closely together to ensure a stable and lasting peace in Northern Ireland. We will not allow those responsible for these reckless acts of terror to drag us back to the violence and conflict of the past.
Security Cooperation is a key issue of concern for the Irish and British Governments, and it is discussed regularly at both bilateral Ministerial meetings and at formal meetings of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, which last met in Dublin in November. In addtion, there is a close and cooperative relationship between An Garda Síochána and the PSNI on matters relating to cross-border security. Dissident republican activity continues to pose a threat to public safety on both sides of the border, and both the Secretary of State and I are deeply thankful for the work that the Gardaí and PSNI undertake in order to keep the community safe on an ongoing basis.
