Gay Mitchell
Ceist:76 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement of the status of the Northern Ireland peace process. [18183/99]
Priority Questions. - Northern Ireland Issues.
The Government continues to attach the highest priority to the implementation in full of the Good Friday Agreement. While substantial progress has been made, and continues to be made, in the implementation of the Agreement's non-institutional aspects, it has not been possible to establish the institutions in the absence of an agreed basis for the formation of the Executive.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Taoiseach and Prime Minister decided on 20 July to establish a review of the implementation of the Agreement and invited Senator George Mitchell to act as a facilitator. This review is tightly focused on the practical implementation of the three principles agreed by all pro-Agreement parties on 25 June, namely, an inclusive Executive exercising devolved powers; decommissioning of all paramilitary arms by May 2000; and decommissioning to be carried out in a manner determined by the International Commission on Decommissioning.
Following some initial contact with the parties, Senator Mitchell began his work with them on Monday, 6 September. He has had a series of meetings, in a range of formats, in each of the weeks since then, which resumes tomorrow. Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs have been present in Belfast throughout and, together with the Secretary of State, Dr. Mowlam, I have met Senator Mitchell twice during this period, most recently last Thursday, 23 September. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has also been in contact with Senator Mitchell. It would not be appropriate to divulge the substance of our discussion or to speculate in detail on what the outcome of the review might be. We believe, however, that the Senator is doing an outstanding job and is proceeding in a balanced and systematic way, as is his usual manner.
While the outstanding difficulties are both well known and substantial, and have defeated previous efforts to overcome them, there is still reason to believe that a successful resolution is possible. I believe that the parties want to find an accommodation and to make the Agreement work, as is the democratically expressed will of the people, North and South. The real problem at the heart of the impasse has been the quality of trust between the parties. It is crucially important, therefore, that each party does all it can to stimulate mutual trust. The Government stands ready to support them fully in that task.
The most significant other development in the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement over the recess period was the publication on 9 September of the report of the Independent Commission on Policing. The Government warmly welcomed this report as thorough and comprehensive and its recommendations, taken together, have the potential to realise the Agreement's objective of a professional, effective, accountable, representative and widely acceptable police service.
While the Government is deeply concerned at, and totally condemns, all acts of violence, including the murder of Charles Bennett, so-called punishment attacks and expulsions, and continuing sectarian attacks on Catholics in certain parts of Northern Ireland, it remains our view that the paramilitary ceasefires have not broken down. Nevertheless, we will continue to monitor the situation carefully.
The full implementation of the Agreement represents the best chance for the achievement of lasting peace and stability. It is essential, therefore, that the golden opportunity to break the impasse that Senator Mitchell's review represents is grasped fully and quickly.
Is it the Government's view that the formation of an executive with a one month deadline for decommissioning, an idea which has been raised by some Unionists and responded to by some Sinn Féin sources presents possibilities for success?
The Deputy will accept that it would not be appropriate for me to speculate on any possible formulae that might be put forward by various parties at various points. It is clear that at the time of The Way Forward proposal, an option deemed by the two Governments to have some prospect of success and acceptability, it was not the sequencing or the substance of that proposal that was defective. The quality of the trust between the two protagonists was defective at the time. Notwithstanding the stated commitment of the two parties to accept The Way Forward proposal in principle, it was clear that the political capacity of the respective sides to deliver on those commitments was in doubt and that was the reason there was a very disappointing failure to establish the executive on 15 July.
Will the Minister of State tell the House what progress has been made regarding the stand off at Drumcree and if she is optimistic about the outcome? Does she share the assessment of the recent press reports giving the view of the RUC Chief Constable that certain IRA and other terrorist groups are regrouping with a view to co-operating in terrorist activity and has the Government taken steps to counteract them?
On the issue of the Garvaghy Road, the Government is convinced that any resolution of the issue of contentious parades can only be brought about through local agreement and accommodation. Such accommodation can only be achieved when there is genuine dialogue and mutual respect between the differing parties. There are ongoing efforts on the part of the two Governments and others in seeking an agreed settlement in relation to the Garvaghy Road. I welcome the commitment of both the Orange Order and the local residents group to continue with their efforts to establish an agreed basis for a resolution and the Government would urge both sides to act with restraint. We remain committed and a significant amount of effort has gone into mediation in this regard. That will continue to be the case.
In relation to the reports of a threatened return to violence by dissident elements on both sides, of course this is an ongoing cause of concern to both Governments. It is an ongoing cause of concern to parties representing paramilitary groups which are on ceasefire and all other parties. It remains our view that, notwithstanding the existence of dissident activity, both political and paramilitary, the best course is to galvanise the efforts of the pro-Agreement parties and to work towards the full implementation of the Agreement.
As the Taoiseach has outlined, during the summer there were various aspects of dissent indicated, for example, by the gun running and the murder of Charles Bennett, actions which both Governments absolutely condemn. Notwithstanding those activities, which are very disturbing and not to be minimised in any way, both Governments remain of the view that, in the round, the ceasefires remain intact for the purposes of continuing with the peace process and including those parties who are signatories to the Good Friday Agreement. We consider that the ceasefire is intact for the purposes of continuing with our negotiations.
My question to the Minister of State was very specific. Does she share the view of the RUC Chief Constable that the so-called real IRA and some other groups, such as the INLA and Continuity IRA, are getting together to plan some sort of terrorist spectacular at or near the Border? Has the Government taken steps to deal with those matters?
Since the Omagh bombing the Government and the security forces on both sides of the Border have been extremely vigilant in relation to distant activity on both sides, both republican and loyalist paramilitary activity. Post Omagh, the House legislated for the most draconian anti-terrorist legislation and the provisions of that legislation remain in place. Certainly, the commitment of the security forces in the Republic and in Northern Ireland to be vigilant in relation to that type of distant activity is absolute. I have no detailed information on the spectacular, to which the Deputy refers. All I can say is that we have in place sufficient security intelligence resources to be vigilant in this regard.