Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:11. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, DUP. [31501/21]
View answerWednesday, 23 June 2021
Questions (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
Neale Richmond
Question:12. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his most recent engagements with the First Minister and First Minister-designate of Northern Ireland. [31659/21]
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Mary Lou McDonald
Question:13. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. [31826/21]
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Alan Kelly
Question:14. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. [32049/21]
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Seán Haughey
Question:15. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent engagement with political leaders in Northern Ireland. [33004/21]
View answerNeale Richmond
Question:16. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. [33039/21]
View answerOral answers (4 contributions)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 16, inclusive, together. Northern Ireland is experiencing a difficult and turbulent period and needs stability. It is very important that we all work collectively on the island, and between the two Governments, towards maintaining stability and calm heads, staying focused on what is important to the people within Northern Ireland. It is in everyone's interests that the Executive now be allowed to get on with the full range of urgent business it faces.
I wished Edwin Poots well, on a personal level, following his announcement that he will be stepping down as leader of the DUP. I had a worthwhile meeting with Mr. Poots more than a fortnight ago when we discussed quite a number of issues. I also take this opportunity to offer my congratulations to Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who will succeed Mr. Poots as party leader, and I look forward to working with him and the other party leaders in the period ahead.
I held a meeting with Mr. Poots in Government Buildings on 3 June. He was accompanied by Paul Givan, who was subsequently appointed First Minister on 17 June. I impressed on them the importance of close co-operation between the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government. We had a good discussion on the importance of the stability and good functioning of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement. We discussed the protocol, and the genuine concerns many in the unionist community have regarding its operation. I stressed that the Government was focused on supporting practical solutions and reducing friction where possible.
The meeting of the British-Irish Council that took place in Fermanagh on 11 June gave me an opportunity to meet with then First Minister, Arlene Foster, and deputy First Minister, Michelle O'Neill, as well as a number of other ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive.
I have written to Doug Beattie to congratulate him on his selection as the new leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and I look forward to an early opportunity to meet with him. I previously had a series of phone calls with then First Minister Arlene Foster, deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill and all the party leaders in April, when we discussed the unrest on the streets of Northern Ireland and related issues.
My colleague spoke to the incoming leader of the DUP yesterday evening and Sinn Féin will continue to work in partnership with the DUP and the other parties in the Assembly. As Sinn Féin and others have consistently stated, this work includes delivering on existing agreements. Labhair mo chuid comhghleacaithe le ceannaire nua an DUP tráthnóna inné. Leanfaidh Sinn Féin ag obair i gcomhar leis an DUP agus le páirtithe eile sa Tionól. De réir mar atá ráite agam féin agus ag daoine eile go mion minic, is dlúthchuid den obair sin cur i bhfeidhm na gcomhaontuithe a rinneadh cheana.
The Northern Ireland peace process has always been very fragile. As we have seen so often, the stability of the Northern Ireland institutions cannot be taken for granted. In the immediate future, we need to ensure that a First Minister and a deputy First Minister are in place and that the current Assembly continues until the scheduled elections next year. We also need to ensure that the North-South and east-west structures provided for in the Good Friday Agreement meet regularly, with a full complement of Ministers if appropriate. We need to see the implementation of the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement and all subsequent implementing agreements, especially New Decade, New Approach, and including the measures proposed for the Irish language. Tensions in Northern Ireland are raised at present and focused on the Northern Ireland protocol. Does the Taoiseach agree that it is a time for calm heads to dial down the rhetoric, so to speak? It may seem obvious, but dialogue is the way to proceed. Does the Taoiseach agree that it is not a time for megaphone diplomacy or unilateral demands? Such dialogue has been lacking in recent years. We need to rebuild relationships on all sides and there is much work to be done.
I refer to the dynamics of Northern Ireland politics, which are changing. According to the latest Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey, which was published recently, approximately 42% of people in Northern Ireland define themselves as neither unionist nor nationalist. Many young people in Northern Ireland are more liberal and have a different outlook. Does the Taoiseach believe these societal changes will contribute to bringing about lasting peace, prosperity and progress in Northern Ireland? Does he believe the shared island initiative has a role to play in this regard? On 10 May, the shared island dialogue considered the equality and inclusivity agenda on this island. Does the Taoiseach believe this agenda is significant in the politics of Northern Ireland at this time?
I dtús báire, táim sásta comhoibriú a dhéanamh le gach aon pháirtí sa Tuaisceart agus go háirithe an DUP agus an UUP. Tá seanaithne agam ar Jeffrey Donaldson. Bhuail mé leis cheana féin i róil éagsúla a bhí againn sna blianta atá imithe tharainn. Tá sé riachtanach go mbeidh na páirtithe in ann teacht le chéile agus comhoibriú le chéile ar son mhuintir an Tuaiscirt. Is léir domsa gurb iad gnáthrudaí an tsaoil atá ag cur isteach ar dhaoine, ó thaobh cúrsaí sláinte, oideachais, eacnamaíochta, agus fostaíochta de. Is iad sin na hábhair a bhfuil muintir an Tuaiscirt buartha fúthu ag an tráth seo.
I thank Deputy Haughey for his insightful comments. I believe the potential of the Good Friday institutions, and particularly the North-South dimension of the Good Friday Agreement, needs to be fully realised and developed. The New Decade, New Approach agreement in particular offers a pathway to realising some of that. In the context of the shared island initiative, we have ring-fenced funding of approximately €500 million, of which we have already allocated approximately €13 million to the Ulster Canal, as well as funding for the Sligo-Enniskillen greenway. There will be other projects, particularly in terms of an all-island research initiative, facilitating collaboration on issues of mutual benefit to everyone living on the island, between third level institutions North and South. I am hopeful that we can develop an east-west dimension to that as well in respect of the research agenda. There will be other infrastructural projects that we will be pursuing also.
The Deputy is correct in saying that the agreements that have been reached should be honoured and that is also in respect of the Irish language. I have never been one to weaponise the Irish language. I have taught Irish and I think people want to speak Irish go nádúrtha chun taitneamh a bhaint as. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbeidh an t-atmaisféar ceart ó thaobh na Gaeilge de sa Tuaisceart ar gach taobh. Molaim go deo an méid oibre atá déanta ag Linda Ervine, mar shampla, i mBéal Feirste agus an dul chun cinn atá déanta aici chun an Ghaeilge a chur ar fáil do dhaoine sna dúichí sin.
The dialogues as part of the shared island initiative have been important and the Deputy is absolutely correct in articulating the primacy of dialogue in respect of Northern Ireland and in terms of creating space to allow progress to be made in fulfilling the Good Friday Agreement and the New Decade, New Approach commitments. That is particularly important and, with the election of a new leader, the formal process of which will be concluded at the weekend, it is very important that we create space around the issues that matter.
Deputy Haughey spoke about the changing nature of politics and the alignments in politics in Northern Ireland. That change is actually happening. My sense is that many people in Northern Ireland are concerned about bread and butter issues. It seems the biggest issue in the North at the moment is the restoration of health services. People there need to get timely access to health procedures, diagnostics and treatments, no more than in the Republic, and politics should reflect those basic concerns. Likewise, the development of integrated education is something that should be advanced and promoted within Northern Ireland. There is an emerging and growing middle ground which has different perspectives on the future.
The purpose and objective of the shared island initiative is to give a platform to new voices in terms of how the island should evolve into the future and how we should share this island together. Seamus Mallon put it memorably at the launch of his book when he said that his neighbour's family had been living next door to his homestead for around 400 years and maybe it was about time that they learned how to share that spot of ground together. It is in that spirit that the shared island dialogue is there to allow new voices, the new Irish about whom we spoke earlier, and find out what their perspective is. I refer to giving greater voice to young people, and women in particular. In various phases of the journey that Northern Ireland has been on through the past 30 years, it has been the voice of women that has been strongest in terms of the attainment of peace and the struggle to get peace back onto the streets of Northern Ireland. Inclusivity is absolutely important in terms of that broader agenda.
The protocol has created challenges and Brexit has created challenges. Of that, there is no doubt. That, in itself, will have an impact but I stress the importance of the British Government working with the European Union in a willing way to find a resolution to the protocol issue, creatively looking at the potential of a sanitary and phytosanitary measures agreement between Britain and Europe which would take out nearly 80% of the checks that potentially are involved. I refer to identifying the benefits that can accrue from the protocol in respect of foreign direct investment finding its way into Northern Ireland. The fact that the North will have access to the EU Single Market as well as the UK market creates opportunities. There is the fact that the all-island market creates opportunities in terms of the dairy industry. To pick one example, Ulster farmers sell their milk through co-ops into co-ops in the Republic. It is an important industry. It is now seamless across the island because of the presence of the protocol and the absence of any border or checks on the island of Ireland and that helps the dynamic in terms of the economy.
That said, we have to be conscious that there are issues that need to be resolved and ironed out. The trade between Northern Ireland and the UK is very important trade both ways and, therefore, there are mechanisms within the Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the UK and Europe to facilitate that, such as the joint committee especially and the specialised committees.
The process between Maroš Šefčovič and David Frost should be utilised fully to iron out those difficulties. We have made those points to the British Government. The overall points raised by Deputy Haughey were well made in terms of the importance of constant dialogue, understanding where the other person is coming from, endeavouring to create space to allow that dialogue to be meaningful and to continue, and also observing the changing nature of political views and perspectives on Northern Ireland and how that might inform the future.