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Northern Ireland

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 April 2018

Tuesday, 24 April 2018

Ceisteanna (112)

Micheál Martin

Ceist:

112. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the events he attended for the twentieth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement; if he attended meetings surrounding same; and the status of the talks to reconvene the Northern Ireland Assembly. [16492/18]

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Freagraí scríofa

A number of events took place in Belfast around 10 April to mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

On 9 April, on behalf of the Government of Ireland, I hosted an evening event in Belfast’s Lyric Theatre to mark the anniversary. The event, called ‘A Further Shore’, was produced by Poetry Ireland and saw some of the island’s finest actors and musicians charting the journey through the years of the Troubles towards the achievement of the Agreement. An audience of some 400 people were in attendance and the event was livestreamed by RTÉ.

On 10 April, I gave the opening address at an anniversary event organised by Féile an Phobail at St Mary’s University College in West Belfast. I later met with community representatives at the Skainos Centre in East Belfast before meeting the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

In the afternoon of 10 April, I attended and spoke at an event in Queen’s University Belfast marking the anniversary together with many of those who participated in the negotiations. That evening, I was in the audience for Belfast City Council’s ceremony which recognised the crucial involvement in the peace process of both former President Bill Clinton and Senator George Mitchell.

These anniversary events were an important opportunity to reflect on the achievement of the Good Friday Agreement, to honour those who worked so hard to build peace and reconciliation on these islands, and to remember all those who lost their lives during the tragic years of the Troubles. While looking back, the anniversary events were also an opportunity to review the progress that has been made and the challenges that remain.

Over the course of many months, the Irish and British Governments, as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, have worked tirelessly to support and facilitate the parties in their efforts to form an Executive.

The devolved, power-sharing institutions of the Good Friday Agreement are the best means for achieving accountable, representative decision-making for all the people of Northern Ireland.

Unfortunately, to date, it has not proved possible to reach an agreement on the formation of an Executive, despite intensive engagement. In light of this, the Government has been working with the British Government to consider means by which we can support the political process, in accordance with the Agreement, in the period ahead.

The Taoiseach has spoken with Prime Minister May and emphasised the Government’s full commitment to the Good Friday Agreement, and our continuing determination to secure the effective operation of all of its institutions.

I remain in very regular contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, whom I met in Belfast on 10 April and again in London on 16 April. We spoke about the importance of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement and reiterated that the best place for decisions on Northern Ireland to be made are the power-sharing devolved institutions.

The Good Friday Agreement is the indispensable framework for providing stable, inclusive, power-sharing government for all the people of Northern Ireland and for sustaining our interlocking relationships – within Northern Ireland, on the island of Ireland and between the UK and Ireland. As co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, both Governments have an obligation to uphold and protect the letter and spirit of that Agreement and we are continuing to work to that end.

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