Brendan Smith
Ceist:17. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent discussion with Prime Minister Sunak. [5226/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 20 February 2024
Ceisteanna (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
Bernard Durkan
Ceist:18. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Taoiseach the extent of any discussions he has any with the British Prime Minister following their recent meeting. [6348/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Alan Farrell
Ceist:19. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Taoiseach to report on his meeting with the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. [6370/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Mick Barry
Ceist:20. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach to report on his recent discussion with the UK Prime Minister. [7449/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:21. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when the British-Irish Council will next meet. [7769/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Seán Haughey
Ceist:22. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to Northern Ireland following the restoration of the Executive there; and the discussions he had with British Prime Minister. [7793/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Paul Murphy
Ceist:23. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach to report on his meeting with the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. [7877/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:24. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach to report on his meeting with the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. [7880/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí ó Béal (13 píosaí cainte)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 to 24, inclusive, together.
The return of the power-sharing Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly is hugely welcome. I was very pleased to travel to Stormont on 5 February to meet the new First and deputy First Ministers and other members of the Executive Committee of Ministers. While in Belfast, I met the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. I acknowledged his efforts and those of his team in concluding the talks to achieve restoration. We discussed and agreed on the importance of ensuring all strands of the Good Friday Agreement are functioning fully and to the benefit of all. We had spoken by phone on 30 January about the prospects at that time of the restoration of the power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland and touched on the interstate case Ireland has taken to the European Court of Human Rights concerning the UK legacy Act of 2023. We acknowledged our differences on this issue but welcomed the ongoing strength of our bilateral relationships in other areas.
In my meeting with the new First and deputy First Ministers, I confirmed that the Government was keen to work with them and further North–South co-operation wherever possible and practical. I also met the Executive as a whole. I congratulated it and stressed the Government's desire for its work to be successful.
A common theme across the meetings was the importance of communication, building relationships across the island and the benefits of working together in areas of concern.
I was also very pleased to be welcomed to Parliament Buildings by the new Speaker, Edwin Poots, and to take the opportunity to meet members of the SDLP, which has assumed the role of official opposition within the assembly.
The Government will engage proactively and constructively with the institutions, and I look forward to seeing the positive results of restoration for the people of Northern Ireland. I look forward to an early meeting of the North–South Ministerial Council. I also look forward to the next British–Irish Council Summit, which will be hosted by the Isle of Man and is due to take place in June.
I ask Members for their co-operation because we are running out of time. There is one minute per person.
I, too, warmly welcome the restoration of the assembly, Executive and North–South Ministerial Council. As we all know, all legacy legislation should be victim centred. Unfortunately, the recent British Act is totally perpetrator centred. I raised on many occasions in this House the terrible bombing of Belturbet in December 1972 that resulted in the deaths of Geraldine O'Reilly and Patrick Stanley. Next May marks the 50th anniversary of the horrific bombings in Monaghan and Dublin. The Taoiseach will recall that, in 2008, 2011 and 2016, this House unanimously passed resolutions calling on the British Government to give access to all papers and files pertaining to the Dublin–Monaghan bombings to an independent eminent legal person. My understanding is that the British Government's response to the unanimous request of an independent sovereign parliament, a neighbouring sovereign parliament, has been zilch. Will the Taoiseach take up again with the British Prime Minister, well in advance of May, the necessity for the British Government to co-operate in the necessary investigations to get to the truth of who carried out all these horrendous crimes?
To what extent does the Taoiseach expect to be able to co-operate with the Northern assembly and all parties in Northern Ireland in the window of opportunity that now presents itself, with particular reference to the need to ensure we avoid a collapse of the assembly insofar as that is possible and touch upon the points most likely to irritate either side in Northern Ireland? Will he, with the British Government, ensure he brings these matters to the fore in every possible situation and at every opportunity?
With the Executive now up and running, it is crucial that east–west and North–South bodies be established under the Good Friday Agreement and robustly fulfil their remit. The Taoiseach will know that, having been starved of adequate public funding by the Tories for years, public services are now at breaking point. This will be a priority for Sinn Féin in the new Executive, with finance Minister, Caoimhe Archibald, having described a recent offer by the Tories as not providing a sustainable solution and involving fundraising obligations that would serve only to cause more harm for hard-pressed families, households and businesses. Co-ordination and the progression of major cross-Border infrastructural projects must also be an immediate priority for both the Executive and Irish Government. I welcomed this morning's announcement by the Irish Government to commit €800 million to infrastructure in the North of Ireland. However, works such as the N2 and A5 motorway will not be maximised unless the Irish Government delivers on both sides of the Border. Indeed, with the Executive restored, we have an obligation to demonstrate delivery as part of our work to ensure public confidence in the institutions. I am aware that Minister John O'Dowd stands ready to work with the Irish Government on these projects. Will the Taoiseach outline what his priorities will be for the British–Irish Council and the North–South Ministerial Council?
It is great that the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive are finally up and running after a two-year stalemate. We need to do everything possible to ensure the institutions are not collapsed again. There is now an urgent need to get meetings of the North–South Ministerial Council under way to pursue all-island opportunities and, indeed, foster the all-island economy. I welcome the Government's announcement today of new funding of more than €800 million for shared island investment priorities, including the A5 north-west transport corridor and Casement Park, Belfast.
The Tánaiste has spoken about the need to reform the rules governing the establishment of the assembly and Executive, particularly those requiring cross-community consent.
Is that something the Government will actively pursue in the months ahead?
I wonder whether, in the Taoiseach's discussions with Rishi Sunak, the question of financial support for Israel's genocide in Gaza came up. Britain continues to be probably the second most enthusiastic supporter of Israel globally after the US. War bonds are a type of government debt to raise capital to fund war efforts. Does the Taoiseach agree that US Treasury bonds have effectively become war bonds, given the US's crucial role in funding the genocide in Gaza? As of last November, funds domiciled in Ireland have invested €315 billion in US Treasury bonds, including €15.4 billion bought in the month the genocide got under way. The US Treasury allocates billions of dollars to arms contractors that supply weapons directly to the genocidal Israel Defense Forces, including more than €18 billion to Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-35s that fly over Gaza. The Tánaiste has said that Israel's bombardment of Gaza is a war crime. Is the Taoiseach content for the Irish financial system to fund these war crimes?
We all welcome the €800 million in funding that has been announced. In my constituency, we want to see the Narrow Water bridge built. We know what is necessary for the projects relating to the A5, the Battle of the Boyne site and Casement Park. I even see proposals on educational disadvantage. Will the Tánaiste provide timelines? As I said, we all welcome the funding. We also welcome that the Executive is up and running.
I do not usually listen to Joe Duffy's show.
Why not?
However, when he dealt with a particular issue earlier, a proposal that was also brought to me by Alison McCabe was mentioned. It is for a reduction in the grant for post-mastectomy products for women who have been through breast care. This is an issue we need to look at. It is going to be highlighted by many people. Will the Taoiseach take a look at it? The grant is necessary.
I thank the Deputies for their questions. Deputy Brendan Smith asked about the legacy Bill. He raises these issues regularly in the Chamber. I welcome that because it keeps them on the agenda. I will certainly continue to discuss them with Prime Minister Sunak any time we meet.
Deputy Durkan asked about the Executive and the assembly. I am keen to work with them and to work closely with the new First Minister and the deputy First Minister. In fairness, they have got off to a good start, which is encouraging. We want the Executive to be a success and I hope today's announcement will in some way assist them in the work they are doing, although the investment is not just for Northern Ireland, but for the whole country, especially for the Border areas. On sustainability, I am keen to see the Executive last, complete its term and not be disrupted by other political events, such as the UK elections or elections in this jurisdiction.
Deputy Conway-Walsh mentioned the A5. We are making a commitment of €600 million in respect of that project. I met the Minister for Infrastructure, John O'Dowd MLA, briefly when I was in Stormont two weeks ago. He said to me that at least one section of it can commence construction this year. I hope that is the case and I look forward to it happening. I agree with what Deputy Conway-Walsh said about the M2 and the Donegal trans-European transport network, TEN-T, projects, for example the Stranorlar to Lifford to Letterkenny road. We have to make sure we do the parts on our side of the Border as well as co-funding the works in Northern Ireland.
We do not have a date yet for the North-South Ministerial Council to meet, but we are keen to have an early date for a plenary meeting of the council. The council has only met once in person since 2016. That is a real shame. I would like to get back into the rhythm of those meetings happening regularly, as they used to. I would particularly like to see the North-South sectoral meetings taking place because often the real work is done when Ministers meet their counterparts in Armagh. It is less so at the plenary meetings, important though they are.
Any change to the rules of how Stormont operates would be a strand one issue. I would very much lean on the views of political parties in Northern Ireland to guide us on that, but what is important for the next few months is that we allow the Executive to settle a bit and give it a fair wind to concentrate on the bread and butter issues. I am sure we can talk about reforms and changes in due course.
Regarding Deputy Paul Murphy's question, I have not discussed Gaza with Prime Minister Sunak. It has not been on our agenda. The meetings are short.
On the Narrow Water bridge, Deputy Ó Murchú mentioned the fact that it will benefit his constituency. We are confident that we will be able to sign the contracts for the project as soon as next month, which means it could be under construction this year, perhaps by the summer.
Will the Taoiseach look at the other issue?
Yes. The Deputy might send me a note. I am aware of the issue but am not 100% across it.