Brendan Griffin
Question:62. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the current instability in Northern Ireland. [44167/21]
View answerThursday, 30 September 2021
Questions (62)
Written answers
The achievements of the peace process must never be taken for granted and we will continue to work to protect and uphold the Good Friday Agreement in all circumstances, to protect the stability of the institutions and to support the ongoing work of peace and deeper reconciliation.
The Irish and British Governments are co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement and peace process and as such, it is vital that we work together to ensure its protection. I have continued to engage regularly on these issues with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and with the Northern Ireland parties. Where there are legitimate concerns, be they in relation to the outworking of Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol, or other issues, we will continue to listen and to engage.
I was pleased to co-chair the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) in June. The BIIGC is an important institution of the Good Friday Agreement, and it was positive both that it met for the first time since 2019, and that we agreed that it would be convened again in November. We were able to discuss how we can, together, best support the stability of all institutions of the Good Friday Agreement. There were also important discussions around the need to make progress on addressing the legacy of the past, and a process of intensive engagement of these issues is underway.
We look forward to continued engagement with counterparts from the Northern Ireland Executive through the North South Ministerial Council. The Government is also continuing to progress the commitments that were made at the time of the New Decade New Approach Agreement, which are focused on working with the Executive to deliver projects that benefit people across the island.
The Reconciliation Fund also plays a key part in demonstrating in a very practical and tangible way the Government’s commitment to peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. The Reconciliation Fund awards grants to 150-200 projects each year, and these projects build meaningful links across communities, addressing the issues that are impacting on people’s lives, and working to create better understanding between people and traditions on the island of Ireland and between Ireland and Britain.
We will continue to work with both the British Government and the Northern Ireland Executive for strengthened peace and stability.