Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 19 Jun 2001

Vol. 538 No. 3

Written Answers. - Northern Ireland Issues.

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

74 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he raised the position of persons exiled from Northern Ireland under threat of death or violence from paramilitary organisations with the British authorities; if any estimate is available to his Department of the number of people in this position; if he has raised their situation with those political parties in Northern Ireland believed to have connections with paramilitary organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17785/01]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The Government condemns in the strongest possible terms the cowardly practice of "exiling" by paramilitary groups. No-one from any community in Northern Ireland has a mandate to engage in such acts of violence or intimidation. The Good Friday Agreement, endorsed by the people of this island, North and South, recognised the right of citizens to freely choose their place of residence. It is imperative that this right be protected and vindicated throughout Northern Ireland.

We discuss this issue with the British authorities on an ongoing basis through the framework of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. They have confirmed that no figures are available on the numbers of people actually forced to leave Northern Ireland as a result of paramilitary "exiling". The Government continues to urge all parties with influence on the perpetrators to use their best endeavours to end this practice and to allow those already "exiled" to return safely to their homes.