Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 30 May 1996

Vol. 466 No. 3

Written Answers. - Liaison Group.

Bertie Ahern

Ceist:

18 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the current membership of the Liaison Group; whether it is proposed that any party official would attend confidential meetings of the Liaison Group, the Anglo-Irish Conference or Summits; and if so, the basis on which they may attend. [10810/96]

Noel Dempsey

Ceist:

28 Mr. Dempsey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of times the Liaison Group has met to date in 1996; the dates of the meetings; and the dates of ministerial meetings and Anglo-Irish conferences between himself and Sir Patrick Mayhew. [10809/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

I propose to reply to Questions Nos. 18 and 28 together.

So far in 1996 there have been two meetings of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. The first took place on 1 February and was adjourned until 7 February, when it concluded. The second meeting was on 22 May.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I have had eight informal meetings: on 15 and 17 January, on 4, 8, 14 and 20 March, on 3 April and on 28 May.

Contact at non-political level between the two Governments is organised in a variety of ways as the occasion warrants. The most frequently used channel of communication is the Anglo-Irish Secretariat, and the embassies in Dublin and London are of course also in regular and frequent contact with the respective Governments. Meetings in other formats, including those of the so-called Liaison Group, are arranged on anad hoc basis when required. There is no fixed representation from the Irish side at these meetings, although as a rule it would include officials from my Department and from those of the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Justice. The Irish delegation at any such meeting is determined by the Government according to the matters under discussion. All members of such delegations are fully bound by the Official Secrets Act. I do not propose to comment on the composition of British delegations, except to say that on that side also the participation is on a variable and flexible basis, according to the practical needs at any given time.

It is a well established practice, agreed between the two Governments, that the details of such official level meetings, including their timing, are not publicly disclosed and I do not propose to depart from that precedent.