Micheál Martin
Ceist:79. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he discussed the Good Friday Agreement when he met with his UK counterpart. [42312/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 16 October 2019
Ceisteanna (79)
Freagraí scríofa
The Taoiseach and I are engaged with our counterparts in the British Government on an ongoing basis in support of the Good Friday Agreement and to address current challenges.
The Article 50 negotiations are conducted by the Commission Task Force with the UK. Throughout this process, the Taoiseach and I have actively engaged with the British Government to underline the Government’s concerns about the impact of Brexit on the island of Ireland and the imperative of protecting the Good Friday Agreement and the achievements of the Peace Process. This was a focus of the Taoiseach’s discussions with Prime Minister Johnson last week.
I have underlined the requirement to protect the Good Friday Agreement in recent weeks in my meetings with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Julian Smith, the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, Stephen Barclay, and the UK Minister of the Cabinet Office, Michael Gove.
I am also continuing to engage with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to work to secure agreement between the parties to get the devolved institutions of the Agreement up and running, meeting most recently yesterday, 15 October.
The continuing absence of the power-sharing Executive and Assembly in Northern Ireland and the North South Ministerial Council is of grave concern for the Government, as it is for the British Government.
People want the devolved power-sharing institutions up and running again to represent their interests and deal with the issues and challenges that Northern Ireland faces at present, not least the difficulties raised by the UK exit from the European Union.
As well as the Assembly and Executive, the functioning of the North South Ministerial Council is also urgently required, to bring together the Executive and the Government to oversee and develop co-operation on the island, and as a vital part of the Good Friday Agreement.
The two Governments in addition meet through the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference, as the institution of Agreement that brings together to two Governments “to promote bilateral co-operation at all levels on all matters of mutual interest within the competence of both Governments”. The last meeting of the Conference was in May, and a date for the next meeting is currently under consideration.
The Government will continue to do everything possible to support continuing engagement and progress in discussions between the political parties, working with the UK Government in any scenario, as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement.