Vol. 437 No. 7
2 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his policy on timing and conditions for the resumption of three-stranded talks between constitutional parties and the two Governments in relation to the Northern Ireland problem, North/South relations and Anglo-Irish relations.
3 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the preparations, if any, his Department has made in relation to negotiations between the constitutional parties in Northern Ireland for a political settlement; whether it is the intention of the Government to make public its proposals for a settlement of the Northern conflict in advance of the negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
5 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps, if any, that have been taken within the framework of the Anglo-Irish Conference to follow up on the potential for peace and political progress offered by the Joint Declaration by the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister, Mr. John Major, of 15 December 1993; if, in regard to his comments on RTE Prime Time on 13th January 1994, about the possibility of proceeding with the talks without Sinn Féin, he intends to make any specific proposals in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
7 Ms O'Donnell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs whether the proposed Forum for Peace and Reconciliation can commence without the participation of Sinn Féin, as suggested by Dr. John Alderdice of the Alliance Party; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
11 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he approves of discussions taking place with Sinn Féin prior to a cessation of violence by the Provisional IRA; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
31 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposals, if any, he has to advance the objectives of the Joint Declaration of 15 December 1993, by the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
44 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs whether the proposed Forum for Peace and Reconciliation can commence without the participation of Sinn Féin, as suggested by Dr. John Alderdice of the Alliance Party; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 31 and 44 together.
I have been given notice that Question No. 11, in the name of Deputy Jim O'Keeffe, has been withdrawn.
The desire of the people of this island for lasting peace and for genuine political progress is palpable. Both objectives are intimately linked, in the Government's view, and our commitment to the achievement of both is total.
We are ready to explore all avenues which hold out the prospect of making genuine progress towards a political settlement of the Northern Ireland problem. We regard the peace process as a prelude to comprehensive political negotiations, not a substitute.
The Taoiseach and I have made clear on many occasions our desire to see talks resume at the earliest opportunity, involving the Irish and British Governments and the parties in Northern Ireland. We believe that the goal set for the talks, namely to achieve a new beginning for relationships within Northern Ireland, within the island of Ireland and between the people of these islands, remains valid and achievable. Talks would of course have greatly enhanced prospects of success in a climate of peace.
We, for our part, are ready to enter such talks without preconditions. The timing of a fresh round of talks must, however, remain a matter of uncertainty until such time as the Unionist parties can be persuaded to come to the table.
At the meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference in Dublin tomorrow, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I will have an opportunity to consider the outlook for fresh talks. This question has been under discussion between us for the past year and both Governments have been preparing our positions for a possible resumption of talks.
The best chance of securing a successful outcome to new talks lies in preserving their confidentiality. Accordingly, I do not believe it would be helpful at this stage for the Government to make public the position which we intend to take at future negotiations.
It is now some six weeks since the Joint Declaration was signed by the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister. During that period, the Irish Government has spared no effort to ensure that the declaration's contents are understood, and its historic significance appreciated, by the widest possible audience in Ireland, North and South, and indeed internationally. We have sought to highlight the central idea behind the Declaration, which is that the problems of Northern Ireland, however deep and intractable, have to be resolved exclusively by political and democratic means. The Declaration offers a political framework which is meaningful and fair for both traditions, and removes any possible basis for the claim that violence can somehow be justified because of a lack of political alternative.
We have also taken every opportunity to stress the very real recognition and protection which the declaration affords to both traditions in Ireland, nationalism and unionism.
The two Governments have been in close and continuous contact on all matters relating to the Declaration and its follow-up, including through the mechanisms of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.
Tomorrow's meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference will afford a further opportunity for joint consultation on the reactions to date, on the outlook for the future and on the options open to the two Governments.
We hope that all parties will accept the declaration as a framework for peace and that violence will be abandoned forever in favour of an exclusive commitment to the political process, leading to comprehensive negotiations involving the full spectrum of political opinion on the island.
We hope in particular that the paramilitary organisations on both sides will respond positively to the opportunity which now exists to turn away from the violence which has caused so much human suffering on all sides, and which achieves nothing other than to deepen already bitter divisions and put off the goal of reconciliation on this island.
It was of course accepted at the outset that the Declaration raised fundamental issues and that it was reasonable patience and time should be allowed for full consideration of it. It is equally reasonable, however, to make clear that that period cannot be indefinite. The Governments will not allow the momentum of the declaration, or its great potential for the future, to be lost, particularly in view of the support expressed for it by the broad mainstream of both traditions in Ireland.
There is no change in the long established policy of the Government regarding talks with groups which engage in or support the use of violence for political ends. The declaration itself makes clear the view of both Governments that political dialogue on the way ahead should involve only "democratically mandated parties which establish a commitment to exclusively peaceful methods".
As regards the Government's position on the Forum, I refer Deputies to the various statements made by the Taoiseach to the Dáil on this issue, most recently during Question Time yesterday. One of the most valuable functions such a Forum could fulfil would be to enable democratic parties on the island to take stock of the new possibilities for advancing the process of healing and reconciliation which would open up in the wake of a total cessation of violence. I do not think it useful at this stage to speculate what position the Government might adopt on the issue if we are disappointed in our hope of a shift towards the peaceful resolution of differences among Irish people, which is so fervently desired by the vast majority of the people living on the island.
With regard to this grouping of questions I propose to call the Deputies present in the order in which their questions appear in the Order Paper.
Will the Tánaiste agree that one of the problems in creating trust on this island is that the overall appreciation of the two communities as to what is possible in terms of a Northern settlement should be publicly known? Will he agree that it is most unhelpful for people to speak in terms of the process being open to virtually any outcome when that may convey to some people that there is a risk of wholly improbable outcomes being pressed for by one side or another in the negotiations? Would it not be more sensible for the Dublin Government to indicate that it accepts that, for the foreseeable future, Northern Ireland will remain part of the United Kingdom and that the substance of the negotiations must be within that context, first, how there should be linkages between the North and the South and, second, how Northern Ireland can be radically transformed internally to make it a place open to Nationalist participation and aspirations? Will the Tánaiste not agree that we do damage constantly by failing to address that political reality and posturing as if anything could happen as a result of these negotiations when we know in our hearts that the ballpark within which a settlement lies is much more clearly defined than some of the rhetoric used by politicians suggests?
Since I assumed office and took responsibility for dealing with this matter, working with the Government we have been reasonable and sensible in our approach to tackling the difficult problem of Northern Ireland. I have said today that we are prepared to enter talks without any pre-conditions. It is important that we should try to keep an open approach because there is a danger in setting out what one sees as a solution to the problem in that one may automatically exclude people on either side of the divide.
The problem of Northern Ireland has been stated many times in this House and outside. The problems are extremely complex and at times seem intractable. As Deputy McDowell said, it is extremely important to build up trust between the constitutional parties on this island. A certain amount was achieved in the course of the talks that took place in 1992 but maybe not all that one set out to achieve was achieved. Deputy McDowell is familiar with some of the circumstances. However, progress was made. During the past 12 months a level of trust has been established between parties and politicians on this island which did not exist previously. I hope that gives us a foundation to be optimistic in relation to making progress for the future. It is extremely important that the politicians on this island — hopefully all politicians on this island — committing themselves to non-violent and democratic solutions to our problems, will come to the table as soon as possible to see if we can make progress in terms of establishing the peace and reconciliation we all want.
In view of the Tánaiste's recent statement that there is a possibility that talks will get underway without the involvement of Sinn Féin if they do not come to a decision in relation to the Declaration, will he indicate the basis of such talks? The Taoiseach said yesterday that the Declaration would not be the basis of three stranded talks, but would be complementary to them. In that event, there is a commitment in the Declaration to changing the Irish Constitution in the context of a general agreement or, to use the phrase, "part of a balanced constitutional accommodation". Is that now the Government's position? If so, it supersedes the Government's position in the previous set of talks where there was an inability on the part of the Government at that time to give a commitment on the possibility of changing the Irish Constitution.
It should be clear to the Deputy from the many statements made by the Taoiseach and me during the course of the past 12 months that in the context of discussions taking place and looking for an overall framework within which to make progress, obviously the constitutional question must be considered. One would hope that the round of talks taking place within Northern Ireland at present will clearly establish a framework for the recommencement of talks within Northern Ireland. The Declaration of 15 December added a new momentum to the process. The search for talks and the Declaration are complementary and I hope we can recommence talks, with all parties participating. There is a political momentum on this island and one must not lose sight of the fact that the contents and aspirations of the Declaration would appear to be supported by the majority of the people on this island.
