Mary Harney
Ceist:6 Miss Harney asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the SDLP. [2553/95]
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Meeting With SDLP
The Tánaiste and I had a very useful meeting with reprepresentatives of the SDLP on 26 January. The SDLP delegation comprised Mr. John Hume, Mr. Seamus Mallon and Mr. Eddie McGrady.
This was the first in a series of meetings with Northern Ireland political parties. We reviewed the ongoing peace process. The SDLP delegation emphasised the importance of the early completion of the framework document and the commencement of political dialogue leading to an agreed settlement. The Tánaiste and I made clear our commitment to achieving this.
I am delighted that we got a question dealing with Northern Ireland on the agenda.
It was not transferred.
Will the Taoiseach accept the urgency to see the publication of the framework document? Both Nationalists and Unionists want to see this document. In my view, when it is published it will allay the fears of the Unionist Community because I believe it will be fair and balanced. Can we expect to see this document this month?
I have studiously avoided putting a date on the publication of the framework document because I believe that an attempt by any of the directly involved participants to set dates, where final agreement has not yet been reached, creates artificial pressures that are not in the interests of the process or of getting a fair and balanced framework document which the Governments concerned intend to achieve and which I know the Deputy wishes us to achieve. I will not set a date on it, no matter how many times or how many different ways I am asked that question. I have said repeatedly that 95 per cent or more of the work on the framework document is completed. There are, of course, many ancillary matters relating to and flowing from the framework document on which discussions between the Governments would be useful before publication. That is as far as I can go at this stage.
I am sure that when the Taoiseach met the SDLP the case of Lee Clegg was raised and I know the Taoiseach sought a report on this matter. Unfortunately, my question to the Taoiseach was transferred to the Minister for Foreign Affairs but, given the current publicity surrounding this particular case, has the Taoiseach received any response to his request for a report on this matter? Has he or the Tánaiste discussed it with the Secretary of State or with the officials on the British side?
Inquiries were originally made on our part through the Maryfield secretariat and we have expressed our concern on the matter. I am not aware that we have received a specific report on the subject at this juncture but I have no doubt that when the Tánaiste comes to answer the question now tabled to him on this matter he will be able to give the Deputy a more full statement in regard to it than I can.
Last week I asked the Taoiseach if he would take important questions on Northern Ireland on a weekly basis and he stated that he would. He has just answered a question from Deputy Harney, whom I congratulate on being able to get an answer from the Taoiseach. All our questions on Northern Ireland today were ruled out, with the exception of one asking the Taoiseach what further progress, if any, he had made towards completing the framework document, which he answered. Nineteen questions in my name have already been referred to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. We can ask the Taoiseach questions on Northern Ireland only once a month, and the General Office has written to me today to the effect that as I have now tabled more than two questions for oral answer by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, I should contact the office. That means that of my 19 questions, which will probably have increased to 39 by next week, I can have answers to only two. Either the Taoiseach is not instructing his people or he is being very unreasonable.
I made inquiries after the scenes created by Fianna Fáil about this matter last week, which surprised me since they were not slow to pass on questions themselves when they occupied this side of the House.
That is incorrect.
However, I am anxious to be helpful to the House in this matter.
Good.
Basically, questions about negotiations being conducted primarily by the Department of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the Government, such as negotiations about the framework document, are appropriately answered by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Questions about meetings that I have as Taoiseach and questions in that area are appropriately answered by me. On assuming office I discovered that there is a well established criterion as to which questions are referred to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and which are retained in the Department of the Taoiseach. The criterion I am following is exactly that followed by my predecessor. There has been no change. If Opposition Deputies, and particularly party leaders, would like to be briefed on how precisely this criterion operates, I would be happy to do so. In Opposition I sought such briefing from the then Taoiseach's Department which was not forthcoming. However, I am more than willing to offer it to Deputies Ahern and Harney so that they will have all the necessary knowledge of the precedents set when their own parties were in office to frame their questions appropriately and get appropriate answers.
The Taoiseach was in Government before.
That was a long time ago.
If the Taoiseach says he is trying to be helpful, I accept that. Deputy Reynolds, when he was Taoiseach took all questions on Northern Ireland. Somebody in the Taoiseach's office — I do not believe it is the Taoiseach — is referring all questions on Northern Ireland to the Tánaiste. Already today the Taoiseach answered a question we tabled. Earlier he said that when he meets Prime Minister John Major he would be primarily discussing these issues. However, that is a contradiction. If the Taoiseach is discussing these issues with Prime Minister John Major, he should answer questions about them in this House. Will the Taoiseach confirm that the SDLP has not been shown the framework document or briefed in detail on it, as Unionists allege?
I can so confirm.
The Taoiseach kindly offered to brief the Opposition on the precedents that exist for having questions transferred. I think we are here to make precedent, not follow it. Will the Taoiseach brief Opposition leaders on what is going on in relation to Northern Ireland? The positions adopted by parties in this House, in Government and Opposition, are reasonable and fair — everybody wants to be helpful. It would be helpful if, in that spirit, the Taoiseach would brief Opposition leaders.
The Tánaiste and I would be more than happy to brief Opposition leaders on an ongoing basis about Northern Ireland issues. Obviously we will not be in a position to reveal information about international negotiations which we cannot reveal more widely. However, we will be willing to give briefing, to the maximum extent practicable, to the Opposition parties. It is a matter of logistics to establish when and how often that should be provided.
Would it be possible to have a briefing this week?
I do not think there will be time this week. Such matters are better dealt with bilaterally rather than across the floor of the House.