Northern Ireland Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 May 2012

Tuesday, 22 May 2012

Ceisteanna (80, 81, 82)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

156 Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if it is intended to legislate for article 20 of the Weston Park Agreement and, in the absence of legislation, if the Secretary of State intends to adhere to the spirit of the agreement by ensuring nobody is arrested and tried for events that happened before 1998 in relation to the Troubles in Northern Ireland; if the British Government will then release, without delay, Gerry McGeough, who has been sentenced and incarcerated on alleged offences dating back to 1981 and prior to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998; if the British Government will also release those prisoners who have been imprisoned without charge. [24838/12]

Maureen O'Sullivan

Ceist:

163 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will inquire whether the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland intends to legislate for Article 20 of the Weston Park Agreement; if he will inquire whether the Secretary of State intends to adhere to the agreement by ensuring nobody is arrested and tried for events that happened before 1998 in relation to the Troubles in Northern Ireland; and if he will inquire if the Secretary of State will ensure the release of Mr. Gerry McGeogh who has been sentenced and incarcerated on alleged offences dating back to 1981 and prior to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 alongside other prisoners imprisoned without charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24977/12]

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

182 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding a person (details supplied). [25109/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Eamon Gilmore)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 156, 163 and 182 together.

The various measures included in the package agreed at Weston Park in August 2001 addressed four issues to assist in the successful implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: policing, normalisation, the stability of the institutions and decommissioning.

Proposed draft legislation by the British Government to deal with this specific issue as referred to in paragraph 20 of the Weston Park accord was formally withdrawn by the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Peter Hain MP, on 11 January 2006. The draft legislation, the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill, had been opposed by the majority of the Northern Ireland Assembly parties and the Secretary of State was compelled to withdraw the legislation when the only supporting party, Sinn Féin, could not accept certain aspects of the proposed legislation. The Government remains committed to the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

On the particular issue of securing early release for Mr. McGeough, it is our understanding that the prisoner in question has initiated legal proceedings to secure an early release and judgment on this is pending. It would therefore not be appropriate for me to comment any further at this stage other than to confirm that officials from my Department continue to monitor developments very closely.