Brendan Smith
Ceist:14. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Council. [53188/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 12 December 2023
Ceisteanna (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
Seán Haughey
Ceist:15. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Council. [54687/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:16. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Council. [55113/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Paul Murphy
Ceist:17. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Council. [55116/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:18. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Council. [55163/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Mick Barry
Ceist:19. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Council. [55231/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí ó Béal (13 píosaí cainte)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 to 19, inclusive, together.
I hosted the 40th British-Irish Council summit in Dublin on 24 November. The theme of the summit was transforming children's lives, tackling child poverty and improving well-being. There was an excellent discussion about approaches across the British-Irish Council members and the scope to share learnings. I outlined the Government's work including the establishment of the child poverty and well-being programme in my Department to co-ordinate efforts in government.
We discussed the situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories, the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, and our shared climate objectives. I also updated the council on my recent EU and international engagements including the last European Council meeting in November.
Regarding Northern Ireland I, along with the other members of the council, regretted the continued absence of any representatives from Northern Ireland. We were in agreement with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that restoration of the Executive and Assembly is in the best interests of the people there, and needs to be done on a sustainable basis.
On the margins of the summit, I met with the Welsh First Minister, Mark Drakeford. We discussed our strong bilateral relationship, including the recent Ireland-Wales Forum in October. I also met bilaterally with the Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf. We discussed our ongoing engagement and shared learning in a range of sectors and the potential to deepen links between our two countries.
The summit provided another valuable opportunity to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and all that has been achieved. As co-guarantor of the Agreement, the Government’s focus and priority remains on getting the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Executive, and the North-South Ministerial Council back up and running so that all three strands of the Agreement can function properly.
We have a good number of contributors for this grouping and each will have up to one minute.
I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. Will the Taoiseach update us on the Government's consideration of the despicable legislation on legacy issues that was enacted by the British Parliament. As we in this House all know, that legislation has no regard whatsoever for the victims of so many heinous crimes perpetrated by paramilitary organisations and by some members of the British state forces. The needs and concerns of victims and the families of victims has to be to the forefront in all our discussions and decision making.
At the end of this month, we will mark the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Belturbet where two teenagers lost their lives. Again, the truth has never been established in relation to who carried out that crime. Next May will mark the 50th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and again there has been a total lack of co-operation by the British state in having a meaningful and comprehensive investigation into those atrocities. There is an urgent need, as we all know, to have the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Northern Ireland Executive, and the North-South Ministerial Council established to carry on with day-to-day and very important issues that concern the people on a daily basis.
It is great to see strand 3 of the Good Friday Agreement fully operational again, as evidenced by the regular meetings of the British-Irish Council and the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. I note that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, attended the meeting of the British-Irish Council on 24 November, hosted by the Taoiseach. I wish to ask about strand 1, relating to the status and system of government in Northern Ireland, and in particular about efforts to restore the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly. The Northern Ireland Secretary this week is involved in all-party talks with the five main political parties in the North. It would seem that the issues surrounding the Windsor Framework have been largely resolved but Northern Ireland has a big budget problem. It is reported that the British Government has put a £2.5 billion financial package on the table. As co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, can the Taoiseach give any indication of how these talks are proceeding? Are we likely to get an agreement on the restoration of the institutions before Christmas?
I note that the Taoiseach discussed the dire situation in Gaza at the British-Irish Council. The Scottish Government has, quite rightly, been very critical of the massacre that is going on in Gaza. This is quite different from the British Government which seems to be cheerleading on the massacre of people in Gaza. Did the Taoiseach discuss the plight of citizens or citizens' families who are trapped in Gaza? I would ask the Taoiseach to comment on this. He will be aware there is a big campaign to get Zac Hania back. He is an Irish citizen who is clearly being held hostage by Israel. Our Government should be expressing outrage at that. Similar issues have been raised by the Scottish Government about family members of people who are citizens in Scotland - as we have here - and are trapped in Gaza, with Israel refusing to let them out. Perhaps the Taoiseach will comment on that.
The Tories are trying to bribe Stormont back into existence with promises of funding that they claimed previously did not exist. Striking public sector workers and fighting communities know that they are the ones who forced this climbdown. Without their struggles, this would not be happening. The penny-pinching Tories are trying to ensure that even this money comes with strings of austerity attached. They want the price of opening the purse strings to be the introduction of water charges. The DUP, Sinn Féin and the rest of the establishment parties in the North are likely to go along with the Tories unless they are forced back. I am sure the Taoiseach remembers the humiliation his Government suffered when it tried to introduce water charges in this jurisdiction. Will the Government show that it has learned the lessons of that experience? Will the Taoiseach warn his Northern Ireland counterparts that any attempt to introduce water charges will be a disaster for them and will face mass opposition and mass non-payment?
The First Minister-elect of Northern Ireland, Michelle O'Neill, wrote to the Secretary of State, Chris Heaton-Harris, last Friday emphasising the gravity of the current stalemate in the North and the imperative for urgent action. The Taoiseach will be aware that all-party talks commenced yesterday. The public administration in Belfast is facing massive financial challenges including the issue of parity for public sector workers. The North has been underfunded by the Tory Government to a huge extent. I hate to disillusion Deputy Murphy, but there has been no game-changing financial offer put on the table. In fact the offer made by the British Government is entirely insufficient. The talks need to be concluded promptly. We need the Executive and we need the Assembly. It is, of course, crucial that we negotiate with the Treasury but I believe this can be done as effectively or more effectively with a functioning Executive. Will the Taoiseach impress upon the British Government the need for these talks to be brought to a speedy conclusion? Will he also outline the work that has been done on plan B should plan A fail?
My thoughts are with the missing fisherman and his family, and with the fisherman who was rescued. They were fishing from Clogherhead off the coast of County Louth. The RNLI, the Coast Guard, a number of fishermen and a number of other people are involved in the rescue. Our thoughts are with them.
We all agree that the Executive needs to be up and running in a sustainable way. What engagement has there been, from the Taoiseach's point of view, with the British Government? It is somewhat responsible for where the DUP has found itself in the last while. This is before we even deal with the issue of financial sustainability. We need an update in relation to the legacy Act following advice the Government has had from the Attorney General. Obviously we would see this as Britain not willing to deal with its dirty war in Ireland.
I hope the Taoiseach brought up the disgraceful cover Britain is providing for Israel.
Does Deputy Barry want to come in?
No thanks.
Deputy Brendan Smith raised legacy issues and referred to the Belturbet and Dublin-Monaghan bombings. On legacy issues and a possible interstate case, the legal advice the Government has received from the Attorney General on the UK Act is an essential contribution to our consideration of whether to take a case. Relevant Ministers are studying the advice, considering next steps and looking at all the implications of such a decision. These include: the potential impact on the bilateral relationship; broader political and civic concerns in Northern Ireland on legacy issues; and the position of victims groups and families.
The matter continues to be raised regularly with the British Government, most recently at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference that took place in Dublin on 28 November. Officials have been closely following cases taken by individuals in the High Court in Belfast. These hearings concluded on 30 November. The Department of Foreign Affairs is in ongoing contact with organisations providing claimants with assistance.
Deputy Haughey raised strand 3 and mentioned that it is operating reasonably well. That is the British Irish Council and the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. Unfortunately, strands 1 and 2 are not operating because the assembly and the Executive are not functioning. However, it is positive that all the main parties are having roundtable discussions for the first time in many months. They are discussing Northern Ireland’s public finances, which we all know are very challenging right now. I do not wish to comment or speculate on the financial package of roughly £2.5 billion announced yesterday. It is up to the party leaders to negotiate with the Secretary of State and his officials. The discussions are welcome and I hope we shortly see progress towards a fully functioning assembly, Executive and North-South Ministerial Council. The people of Northern Ireland need and deserve a functioning devolved government after such a length of time since the most recent election.
I have said before that this Government stands ready to support agreed projects and programmes of mutual benefit, including through the shared island fund. If, by helping to co-fund some projects, we can ease the financial burden and pressure on the new Executive, we would be happy to do so. It is important that if the Executive is re-established, it has the best chance possible of being successful and, therefore, sustainable, and not falling again in six months or a year.
Deputy Boyd Barrett once again mentioned the dire situation in Gaza. I had an opportunity to discuss family members trapped in Gaza with the Scottish First Minister. As the Deputy will be aware, he had family of his own in Gaza. We agreed that, to the extent possible, the administrations would co-operate and compare notes and information on assisting people to leave should they wish to do so.
Zak Hania.
He was not discussed.
On water charges, any decision on that is a matter for the Northern Ireland parties. Water services have to be paid for. Water does fall from the sky but drinking water does not, nor is sewage and wastewater removed without considerable infrastructure and treatment plants. There are two options for paying: charges based on use, which is the most environmentally sound way of doing it, or taxation. Ultimately, it is a matter for the parties in Northern Ireland to decide how they want to charge people for those services.
We have not had discussions with the UK Government on plan B yet. That Government is not yet ready to discuss alternatives to the assembly and the Executive being re-established. Once it is willing to do so, we are willing to do so.
I draw Deputies' attention to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee report, published on Monday, 4 December, on the effectiveness of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement, which included recommendations towards ensuring stability of the Executive. There are some very good ideas and proposals in that report. There must always be room for the Northern Ireland parties and the British and Irish Governments to look together at the institutions to ensure they work for the Northern Ireland of today. The agreement provides for this but it is a complex issue and needs careful reflection. That is best done, we believe, when we have solved the current impasse, established an Executive and returned to the power-sharing institutions on the basis of the mandate given by the people in the elections of May last year.