Vol. 544 No. 5
56 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he was contacted by the British Government in advance of its decision of 12 October 2001 to reclassify the ceasefires of the UDA and LVF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24866/01]
On 12 October, the Secretary of State announced his decision to specify the UDA, UFF and LVF and declare their ceasefires over. This decision was made in light of the involvement of those organisations in a large number of violent incidents over a sustained period of time in many parts of Northern Ireland. In the period leading up to this decision, Dr. Reid and I discussed the question on a number of occasions. I said at the time that I very much regretted that the actions of the loyalist paramilitaries involved had compelled the Secretary of State to reach that decision. He did so only with the greatest reluctance and on the basis of a detailed assessment of the status of these organisations' ceasefires provided by the Chief Constable.
Since that announcement, and despite positive developments in the wider political process, loyalist paramilitaries have continued to attack vulnerable Catholic communities. I utterly condemn this continuing violence and I once again call on all those with influence within these organisations to work for an immediate and complete end to all violent activity.
57 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when it is planned to establish the North-South independent consultative forum which the Government was committed to consider under the Good Friday Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29241/01]
The Good Friday Agreement provided that consideration be given to the establishment of an independent consultative forum appointed by the two Administrations, North and South, and representative of civil society on the island. In addition, under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, the Government gave a commitment to work for the early establishment of this forum. As the Deputy is aware, there is no predetermined outcome to the process of consideration mandated by the Agreement. Accordingly, this matter can only be progressed in full partnership with the Northern Ireland Executive.
At the last plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council, held in Dublin on 26 September 2000, the Council agreed that a joint North-South working group, comprising officials of both Administrations, be tasked with studying the establishment of the forum and reporting to the next plenary. The work of the joint working group is continuing and a report will be made to the next plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council when it meets on 30 November in Dublin. It will then be up to the council to decide how to proceed.
Question No. 58 answered with Question No. 25.
