Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 May 2022
117. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions that he has had recently with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to security affairs in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22655/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, I meet regularly with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to discuss security co-operation in the framework of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference is an important institution of the Good Friday Agreement, bringing together the British and Irish Governments under Strand Three of the Good Friday Agreement to promote bilateral co-operation on matters of mutual interest within the competence of both Governments. The Agreement provides for meetings of the Conference concerned with non-devolved Northern Ireland matters on which the Irish Government may put forward views and proposals. It also provides that the Conference may consider all-island cross-border co-operation on non-devolved issues.
At the most recent meetings of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (held in Dublin on 23 March 2022 and in London on 2 December 2021 which Minister McEntee also attended), there was a discussion on the current security situation in Northern Ireland with the Secretary of State. At these meetings both the Irish and British Governments noted the importance of the ongoing high level of co-operation in tackling terrorism, paramilitarism and associated criminality. Meetings of the Conference are in addition to the frequent engagements that I have with the Secretary of State on a range of issues concerning Northern Ireland. In addition, Irish officials based in Belfast at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat meet on an ongoing basis with their British counterparts to discuss security matters in Northern Ireland.
