Gay Mitchell
Ceist:13 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of the implementation of the British-Irish Agreement. [27724/98]
Priority Questions. - Northern Ireland Peace Process.
Jan O'Sullivan
Ceist:16 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of meetings, if any, he had in the past week with representatives of the political parties from Northern Ireland; and the progress, if any, achieved in overcoming the impasse in the peace process. [27643/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 16 together.
The Government continues to attach the highest priority to the implementation of the British-Irish Agreement in all its aspects. We are working closely with the British Government and with the political parties in Northern Ireland to ensure a full and speedy implementation of all the provisions of the Agreement.
On 5 November, I told the House of the considerable progress which has been made in the implementation process. This work is continuing. The Northern Ireland Act, which underpins in British legislation the constitutional, institutional, equality and human rights aspects of the Agreement, became law on 19 November. My colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform told the House on 26 November of developments in this jurisdiction in the implementation of the human rights provisions of the Agreement, for which he has responsibility.
The Patten Commission has conducted a series of public meetings, hearing the views of both sides of the community in the North on the future of policing. The Criminal Justice Review and the International Decommissioning Commission are continuing with their work.
We are all conscious that, despite sustained efforts on the part of both Governments and of the parties, it has not been possible to reach agreement in some other areas. There is, as yet, no agreement on North-South implementation bodies and the issue of decommissioning, and the formation of the shadow executive also remains to be resolved. As the Taoiseach has said, while it is most disappointing not to have reached a definitive conclusion on these matters, we must continue to seek a way forward. We owe it to the people on this island, who voted for the Agreement in such overwhelming numbers, to make every effort to secure early progress.
A substantial amount has been done at both political and official level on the North-South implementation bodies. We are continuing to strive to conclude an agreement on these bodies as soon as possible, working constructively with the British Government and the parties in whatever way we can to achieve progress.
It is crucially important that agreement is reached as soon as possible. Even after agreement is reached, it will be necessary for the legislative and administrative arrangements to establish the bodies to be put in place so that they can "go live" and function alongside the other institutions under the Agreement when they come into force next year. In the meantime, preparatory and co-ordination work is being intensified at official level across the range of Government Departments. I hope, with good will on all sides, we can reach agreement in the near future and then proceed urgently with the establishment of implementation bodies in the areas agreed.
Meetings, both at political and official level, take place with all parties to the Agreement on a regular basis. I met the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Dr. Mo Mowlam, in London last Thursday evening. We reviewed the current situation in relation to the impasse over the formation of the Shadow Executive and decommissioning, as well as our efforts to agree the implementation bodies. We discussed how both of us could best move these issues forward to ensure that the Agreement is speedily implemented. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, also discussed these matters in Washington last week with the White House, and with the Northern Ireland Political Development Minister, Mr. Paul Murphy. The Taoiseach had significant discussions with the British Prime Minister during the European Council in Vienna last weekend.
We have made good progress since 10 April in some areas but a number of challenges remain to be faced as we strive to implement the Agreement. The Government remains committed to ensuring that, building on the substantial work done to date, it can complete the task of implementation in a timely fashion. In this way, we can ensure that the new beginning we promised to the people of this island on 10 April can be fully realised.
I should mention that as we speak there are serious ongoing discussions taking place in Belfast on the North-South implementation bodies.
Is the Minister optimistic that the impasse he referred to on the Shadow Executive, decommissioning and the North-South implementation bodies will be broken this side of Christmas?
Was the Government taken by surprise by the replacement of the IRA leadership, and does he read this as a hardening of the IRA position on decommissioning, or was this anticipated?
Where now stands progress in relation to Articles 2 and 3 of Bunreacht na hÉireann?
In relation to the first part of the Deputy's question, as I indicated in my reply, discussions are taking place as we speak in an intensive effort to achieve a breakthrough on the North-South bodies before Christmas. We have to have hope. Ideally these discussions should end before the week is out. Government officials have been in Belfast since Sunday evening to facilitate this. They have been staying in the closest contact with the Taoiseach and me throughout yesterday, including up to very late last night, and again today. The Taoiseach and I and the Minister of State remain ready to travel to Belfast at the shortest notice if the timing is right and it is believed it would be helpful. Against this background of ongoing discussions which are delicate at this stage, Deputies will appreciate if I am unable to go into the kind of detail and substance which I would normally wish to in this House. In advance of my coming into the House I spoke, at about 2.20 p.m., with the head of the Anglo-Irish section of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Belfast and with my good friend Mr. Séamus Mallon, who has invested so much time and effort in the negotiations and in trying to resolve the current impasse. That is as much information as I can give to the House.
Regarding the change of leadership by the IRA, it is not accepted practice for Ministers to comment on what the IRA might or might not do in the context of what the Deputy raised.
In relation to Articles 2 and 3, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. In other words, all aspects of the British-Irish Agreement must be in place to trigger the implementation of the amended Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution. Not until all aspects of the Agreement are implemented, not until the whole Agreement is seen to be in place, including the legislation to give effect to the various implementation bodies, can effect be given to those other areas that require legislation both in the British Westminster Parliament and in Oireachtas Éireann.
The Minister indicated in his initial reply that he had met Dr. Mo Mowlam last Thursday. Does he intend to meet her again before Christmas with a view to moving the process forward? We all agree that the intervention and involvement of the two Governments is crucial at this stage, given the impasse that has arisen. Has the Minister anything to report to the House on a meeting between the Taoiseach and the Sinn Féin leader, Mr. Gerry Adams? Has there been any progress in the publication of human rights legislation for this jurisdiction which is included in the British-Irish Agreement?
At my meeting with Dr. Mo Mowlam on Thursday night last in London in Admirality House, I had wide discussions with her on the current problems. If necessary I will meet her before Christmas. I am available at any time and any place, as is the Minister of State. We have very good relations with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and I pay tribute to her and her continuing involvement in the process and in the wish and will of all of us to conclude all the elements of the British-Irish Agreement.
Regarding the meeting between the Taoiseach and Mr. Adams, these meetings are ongoing. I pay tribute to the Taoiseach who has invested so much of his time and energy in bringing about a resolution, not only to this problem but to other problems which occurred in the past, as I have no doubt he will continue to do in the future. He invests huge energy and time to achieve what we all hope will be concluded in the not too distant future.
On human rights legislation in this jurisdiction, not only is draft legislation being prepared which is almost concluded but immense work has been done in other areas of prospective implementation bodies. I have seen a memo to Government which this House would be proud of regarding the work put into it on a number of areas by our Civil Service.
The Minister has informed the House that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. Is he convinced that Sinn Féin is aware of its responsibility as regards a commencement of decommissioning? Is it the Government's intention to continue to release IRA prisoners at the rate at which they have been released? Are further releases pending in the approach to Christmas? Does the Minister expect a gesture from Sinn Féin in response to prisoner releases, given that it is accepted by all concerned that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed? Therefore, Sinn Féin should be presumed to be part of the direction in which the Irish Government and others are moving.
The Government will continue to meet its obligations under the British-Irish Agreement. The release programme will continue. As regards the solution to the current impasse on decommissioning, the Agreement is specific in relation to the timeframe in which decommissioning must take place. In that context, two years is mentioned. A great deal of work has been done by General de Chastelaine in his decommissioning body. It is also interesting to note that Sinn Féin has appointed Martin McGuinness to keep in contact with General de Chastelaine.
As regards Sinn Féin specifically, on the basis of the leadership shown by Mr. Adams and Mr. McGuinness, not only in the negotiations but since then, it is fair to say we continue to urge those with the knowledge and otherwise to bring about decommissioning sooner rather than later.