Below are replies by An Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs to Parliamentary Questions I tabled in Dáil Éireann regarding the need to implement the New Decade, New Approach Agreement.
Reports in British Newspapers today in relation to the possible introduction of an amnesty for people who committed very serious crimes is very disturbing and breaches the Stormont House Agreement.
Again no consideration for the victims and this is not acceptable.
ENDS 6/05/2021
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For Written Answer on : 22/04/2021
Question Number(s): 67 Question Reference(s): 21029/21
Department: Foreign Affairs
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to strengthen North-South and British-Irish political institutions following the commitments made in the New Decade, New Approach agreement and following Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
It is vital that we continue to work closely on a North/South and East-West basis in support of the power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland and the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and successor agreements.
North/South cooperation is a central part of the Good Friday Agreement and will remain a core priority for the Government. We welcome that meetings of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) resumed last year. Regular Ministerial meetings are now taking place across the Council’s twelve policy sectors, advancing areas of practical cooperation to our mutual benefit. The most recent plenary meeting of the NSMC took place 18 December 2020.
We are engaging within the NSMC to find new ways of working in the areas where the underlying EU law no longer applies in Northern Ireland. We are committed to this work, and will be taking it forward with urgency.
In implementing the Protocol, the conditions necessary for continued North South Cooperation will be maintained in a range of areas. The Protocol also recognises that new arrangements building on the Good Friday Agreement, and other areas of North South cooperation, can continue to be made on the island of Ireland.
The Government commitments that were made at the time of the NDNA are focused on working with the Executive through the North South Ministerial Council to deliver projects that benefit people across the island. The first implementation review meeting took place in January of this year. We reaffirmed our shared commitment to the implementation of the NDNA and it is hoped that a second meeting will take place in the period ahead.
The Shared Island Initiative and Shared Island Fund are also very important new dimensions of our work here, with a focus on how we can work together, North and South, to meet major strategic challenges and further develop our shared island economy.
In terms of East-West cooperation, we look forward to enhanced roles for the British Irish Council and British Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC), as set out in the Programme for Government.
During last week’s programme of bilateral engagements in London, I reaffirmed the importance of the role of the BIIGC, and my officials are now engaging with the British Government with a view to setting an early date in the period ahead for its next meeting. I joined the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste at the British Irish Council Summit last autumn which was hosted by Scotland, and I look forward to the next Summit meeting to be hosted by Northern Ireland in June.
We are also taking new steps to strengthen the East-West relationship in the post-Brexit context. We are implementing joint action plans with the devolved administrations in Wales and Scotland, and will open a Consulate General for the North of England in July.
We will continue to engage intensively with the British Government and all parties in Northern Ireland, as we work in support of the full implementation of the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
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For Written Answer on : 01/04/2021
Question Number(s): 193 Question Reference(s): 18049/21
Department: Foreign Affairs
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress to date in implementing New Decade, New Approach; if he has had any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and with members of the Northern Ireland Executive in relation to outstanding issues pertaining to the agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
The New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) agreement was a significant shared achievement by the parties in Northern Ireland together with the two Governments, and its full implementation is a key priority for the Irish Government.
The important work of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) has resumed, to develop cooperation on an all-island basis. Two successful NSMC plenary meetings have now taken place, as well as the full range of Sectoral meetings at Ministerial level, and progress continues across the breadth of North-South areas of cooperation.
The Irish Government commitments that were made at the time of the NDNA are focused on working with the Executive through the North South Ministerial Council to deliver projects that benefit people across the island, including greater connectivity between North and South; investing in the North West region and in border communities; supporting the Irish language in Northern Ireland; and supporting reconciliation as an integral part of the Peace Process.
As part of the NDNA, it was also agreed that there would be regular review meetings involving the two Governments at Ministerial level and the parties to monitor progress on its implementation, and the delivery of commitments by each Government. On Monday 11 January, I participated by video-conference in the first Implementation Review Meeting alongside the First Minister, deputy First Minister, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and party leaders in Northern Ireland.
During that meeting, we discussed the progress that has been made over the past year on the implementation of our respective commitments, and the shared challenges we face in the context of both the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit. We reaffirmed our collective commitment to the ongoing implementation of the NDNA. It is hoped that we can arrange a second implementation review meeting in the period ahead.
I will continue to engage closely with the Secretary of State, and the Executive, as we work in support of the full implementation of the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
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For Oral (Taois.) Answer on : 31/03/2021
Question Number(s): *39 Question Reference(s): 13244/21
Department: Taoiseach
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
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QUESTION
QUESTION NO: *39
To ask the Taoiseach the arrangements to have further discussions with the UK Prime Minister and members of the Northern Ireland Executive on the need to implement the New Decade, New Approach in full.
REPLY
The New Decade, New Approach Agreement reached in January 2020 was a very significant shared achievement, for the British and Irish governments and for the political parties in Northern Ireland in restoring the power-sharing institutions of the Good Friday Agreement to operation.
The New Decade New Approach agreement sets out priorities on health, education, infrastructure, welfare, language and culture and aims to address the issues that are of importance to the people in Northern Ireland.
For our part, the Government published a series of commitments, at the time of NDNA, focused on working with the Executive through the North South Ministerial Council to deliver projects that benefit people across the island, including greater connectivity between North and South; investing in the North West region and in border communities; supporting the Irish language in Northern Ireland; and supporting reconciliation as an integral part of the Peace Process.
The second plenary of the North South Ministerial Council took place on 18 December, and progress is underway with respect to these commitments that come under its remit – we look forward to this progress being continued and seeing these commitments implemented in full.
In January, the first Implementation Review meeting of the NDNA took place virtually, attended by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Secretary of State, the First and deputy First Ministers and the leaders of the parties in the Executive. All the participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to the ongoing implementation of the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
The Government continues to work with the UK Government, with the Northern Ireland Executive and through the North South Ministerial Council to ensure that the New Decade, New Approach agreement is implemented in full.