Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021
260. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent of any discussions he has had or proposes to have with the UK Government and the parties in Northern Ireland in the context of promotion of the power sharing Assembly with a view to ensuring the stability of the Good Friday Agreement. [31739/21]
View answerThe full implementation and effective operation of the Good Friday Agreement and all subsequent agreements is an utmost priority for this Government.
The devolved institutions of the Agreement are essential so that the Assembly and power-sharing Executive can represent the interests of all of the people of Northern Ireland and address issues of concern.
The New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) agreement reached in January 2020 was a very significant shared achievement in restoring the power-sharing institutions of the Good Friday Agreement to operation after three years of their absence. As we have set out in the Programme for Government, we are working to ensure that the New Decade, New Approach agreement is implemented in full.
The Government regularly engages with and supports the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland through the mechanisms provided for the Good Friday Agreement.
The North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) is essential to oversee and develop North South co-operation on matters of mutual interest. The important work of the NSMC to develop co-operation on an all-island basis has resumed following the NDNA agreement. Two successful NSMC plenary meetings have now taken place, as well as a number of Sectoral meetings at Ministerial level, and progress continues across the breadth of North-South areas of co-operation. It is regrettable that it was necessary to postpone the plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council scheduled for 18 June, and we will seek to find an early date for that to be rescheduled.
The Government also looks forward to enhanced roles for the British Irish Council (BIC) and British Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC), as set out in the Programme for Government. The Government participated in a BIC meeting on Friday, 11 June 2021, where members of the Irish Government; UK Government; Scottish Government; Northern Ireland Executive; Welsh Government; Isle of Man Government; Government of Jersey and Government of Guernsey, met and discussed, among other issues, matters related to devolution. The Government will also host a BIIGC in Dublin on Thursday, 24 June 2021, where matters relating to developing the East-West relationship and related developments in Northern Ireland will be discussed with the UK Government.
The Government will continue to work closely on a North/South and East-West basis in support of the devolved power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland and the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and successor agreements.
