A Cheann Chomhairle,
I welcome the opportunity to open the debate on Northern Ireland in this House.
I believe that we all want to see a modern, forward looking, prosperous Northern Ireland.
A more dynamic Northern Ireland economy means more exports, more trade, more investment, ultimately to the benefit of all on this island.
I last met the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in Japan in early December where we were both separately going about the necessary business of promoting trade and investment to the benefit of both jurisdictions.
Significantly, Ministers from Dublin, Westminster and Stormont will embark in the coming days to Singapore on the first international joint trade mission.
Led by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, his Northern Ireland counterpart Arlene Foster, and British Transport Minister Stephen Hammond, the trade mission aims to pursue trade and investment opportunities in the aviation sector.
Europe
The Peace Process and North South relations are very important but they are not the only pieces of the jigsaw. The North-South relationship is not just about resolving past differences, and developing further economic cooperation, it is also about integrating new identities into our society.
What it means to be Irish, what it means to be British, what it means to be an Ulsterman or woman, what it means to be a European –all these identities are in a state of flux and change.
It is also of great concern to both parts of Ireland what happens as regards constitutional arrangements in our neighbouring island.
We need to look and inform ourselves on what is happening on our doorstep. We need to take a keener interest in political developments in Britain; particularly on Britain’s relationship with the European Union.
It matters very much to us, North and South, how Britain renegotiates its membership of the EU and how it votes in a future referendum on EU membership. We share a common interest in Britain remaining a full and active member of the European Union. The EU would be immeasurably weakened without Britain being a full and active and committed member.
I believe that the majority in this House can agree that Membership of the European Union has been extremely positive for Ireland. Much of Ireland’s economic progress during the last fifty years is due to our membership of the European Union. Our country has been transformed by the benefit of our membership.
Northern Ireland has also benefited from Britain’s membership of the EU. In particular Ulster farmers have been big winners from the CAP. Northern Ireland has also benefited from a strong EU Regional Policy and the cross border Interreg programme. The EU has been a very active political and financial supporter of the Peace Process.
Were Britain to leave the EU it would have very serious consequences for Northern Ireland and for enhanced north south cooperation
This island is already on the edge of Europe. Britain disengaging from Europe would make the case for investment in Northern Ireland even more challenging. Europe and especially our role as a small country within the Euro Zone must help Britain to resolve its relationship with Europe.
Scottish Question
It also matters to us all on this island, North and South, how the people of Scotland vote in their referendum on independence this September. A yes vote for independence would obviously have an impact on Northern Ireland.
Strength and Resilience of the Victims of the Troubles
I would like to turn now to the suffering inflicted on ordinary people, on all sides, on the island of Ireland and beyond during ‘the Troubles’ which it is difficult to comprehend and yet too great to forget.
The consequences are there to see. It knows no divide - suffering is no respecter of borders, creed or age - but it reminds us of the fragility of our shared humanity across this island.
This is the terrible legacy of the Troubles and remains a daily reality for numerous families and individuals and continues to have an impact on politics and society on these islands.
The inner strength and resilience of people who have suffered is very evident from my engagements over the past two years.
I have met victims and families of appalling violence from Kingsmill, from East Fermanagh, Enniskillen, the Disappeared, Dublin Monaghan. I have met the families of the Disappeared and the widow of Pat Finucane.
Just last week, I met with the families of those who died in terrible circumstances in Ballymurphy in 1971. As with all victims, I was very glad to offer the Ballymurphy families not just my sincere sympathy but my active support in their quest for truth and justice.
The tremendous dignity and bravery which these victims of unjustified violence have displayed in the face of unimaginable suffering is an example to us all.
What these people have lost no one can return but they collectively reinforce my faith in and the power of humanity, of goodness, of ordinary common decency and understanding.
As politicians on all sides, and across these islands, we owe them the assurance that the painful lessons of the past have been learned and that the suffering they have endured will not be visited on future generations. As leaders, our collective focus must be on ensuring and building a shared and prosperous future. It requires sustained effort and drive on all our parts.
However, there is still a tiny minority who remain committed to violence. As we know from recent events this threat is clear and real.
But the determination of the people of this island, North and South, to oppose such violence is far stronger.
Good Friday Agreement
Through the Good Friday Agreement, the people on all parts of this island made clear their commitment to peace, to a society founded on mutual respect, equal rights and opportunities.
The Good Friday Agreement has opened up opportunities for us: North and South, East and West to get to know each other in new ways.
It has opened up new possibilities, new perspectives around our shared history. Both Governments are the constitutional guarantors of the Agreement. Our collective responsibility is to encourage all political parties to work the agreement to its fullest potential. Northern Ireland is clearly a much better place because of the Good Friday Agreement but we must all, particularly the political parties in Northern Ireland, build on it so as to realise true reconciliation.
Role of the Houses of the Oireachtas
I want to acknowledge in this connection, the work of members of both parliamentary Houses of the Oireachtas from across all political parties and groupings who, through their contributions as members of the Good Friday Agreement Committee, the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the North South Inter-Parliamentary Association, continue to foster and to further British-Irish and North South relations.
This work and these relationships matter. They matter enormously as, with every step taken together, the benefits of all-island cooperation boost every county.
The constitutional issue is resolved for this generation, now it is time to reach a new accommodation and a new understanding between both parts of this island. Doing things together that make a difference to ordinary people, must become the new reality: Jobs, economic growth, and working together to increase prosperity for all on this island.
Recent Political Talks
It is within this wider context that we should give recognition to the recent steps taken by First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness in continuing Northern Ireland’s journey towards a more united and reconciled society.
They invited Dr. Haass and his team to assist with the work of the Working Group of representatives from each of the five Northern Ireland Executive Parties established to examine the contentious issues of Flags, Parades and the Past. Again, the establishment of this Working Group formed part of the Executive’s wider initiative “Together: Building a United Community” Strategy aimed at improving community relations.
I very much welcome the initiative taken by the First Minister and deputy First Minister. The fact that the initiative came from them and did not involve the two Governments is in itself a positive signal that the political parties are taking ownership and trying to address these contentious issues.
Haass Talks - Follow up
As we were not one of the five parties conducting the negotiations our primary position has been one of support for the parties rather than to oppose or endorse any specific proposal. Having said that, I welcome the progress that was made within the talk’s process over a short period of time. The Haass proposals provide a basis for taking these outstanding issues forward.
Now is a time for the five political parties in Northern Ireland to continue to show leadership and I welcome the fact that they are currently meeting and engaging, not just on the past, parades and flags but are back to the big issues that need to be resolved.
I have repeatedly said that the Irish Government stands ready to work with the Northern Ireland Executive, and with the British Government, to support these further efforts to achieve greater peace and the common goal of
building a united community.
As politicians one of the things we can to do is rebuild trust. Together we have already begun to explore new perspectives around our shared history through the decade of commemorations – the Ulster Covenant, the Great War, the Easter Rising, through to Independence and Partition .
We are taking the opportunity of new relationships on and across these islands to rebuild understanding and trust over this decade of commemorations.
We have made some progress in recent years in dealing with historical differences in a non violent way. Politicians, both British and Irish, with help from the United States and the European Union, are entitled to take credit for it.
British Irish Relations
In March 2012 the British Prime Minister and I concluded a Joint Statement on British-Irish relations which set out a vision of closer cooperation between Britain and Ireland and identified a range of areas where this could be advanced. This work is being carried forward through an extensive programme of work under the stewardship of the Secretary General to the Government and the Cabinet Secretary and at political level through the annual summit meetings.
Recently Prime Minister Cameron and I visited the war graves in Flanders to honour all of those Irish and British soldiers who died in the First World War. This was the first such joint visit to commemorate the terrible loss of life which occurred during World War One.
The ever strengthening relationship between Britain and Ireland will be evident in the upcoming State visit of President Higgins to the United Kingdom in April this year. The State Visit in April follows on from the historic and highly successful visit to Ireland by Queen Elizabeth in 2011.
North-South Economic Cooperation
The Peace Process shows that politics does matter and politics can make a profound difference. But having found common agreement on the constitutional argument, we need to drive the economic and social agenda north and south.
That is why in the Programme for Government we have committed to working for greater cross-border economic cooperation to accelerate the process of recovery and the creation of jobs on this island. I and members of the Government are availing of all opportunities, including meetings within the framework of the North South Ministerial Council established under the Good Friday Agreement, to have continuous and constructive engagement with Northern Ministers on matters of mutual economic interest, to advance initiatives designed to boost economic activity on the island and to seek practical cooperation in providing services. Since 2011 Ministers have attended over 80 meetings within the framework of the North South Ministerial Council.
North South economic cooperation is strong and strengthening
There are numerous and recent examples of this positive progress across the NSMC Work Sectors.
Agriculture and Rural Development: Progress is being made on the delivery of an All-Island Animal Health and Welfare Strategy Action Plan.
Trade and Business: InterTrade Ireland is working to encourage and stimulate greater co-operation to increase applications to EU Framework Programmes, including enhanced levels of SME participation.
EU Funding Programmes: The SEUPB is facilitating North South participation in the INTERREG IV transnational and interregional programmes with 61 project partners secured to date across the relevant programmes.
Aquaculture and Marine and Waterways : Ongoing maintenance of the waterways, provision of additional moorings and increasing the awareness of the waterways across all navigations.
Environment: Research is being undertaken to identify further opportunities for mutually beneficial joint working on EU Directives in the areas of environmental quality and protection.
Tourism: In the tourism sector the island of Ireland is promoted abroad by Tourism Ireland and we are working with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that the sector’s potential is fulfilled. Projects such as the Gathering and Derry UK City of Culture all played their part in this success. In 2013, the Fleadh went North for the first time and was a resounding success.
Education: Liaison between the two Teaching Councils is being encouraged with the objective of facilitating full mobility of teachers across both jurisdictions.
Health: Construction of the new £70m Radiotherapy Unit at Altnagelvin commenced in 2013 and will be operational by 2016. Continuation of joint programmes in education, training, research and prevention by the Ireland-Northern Ireland-US National Cancer Institute Consortium.
Child Protection: The launch of the Inter-Jurisdictional Protocol for the Transfer of Child Care cases between Northern Ireland and Ireland and the work to progress its implementation and the agreement on a new work programme focusing on five specific work-streams
Sport: The hosting of a high-level conference on Sport and Sectarianism in November 2013 with participation by the GAA, IFA, and the IRFU. In 2014, we will have another significant cross-border sports event in the Giro d’Italia. In the longer term, the recent agreement to cooperate on a possible 2023 Rugby World Cup bid will, I hope, result in major benefits to the tourism industry throughout the island.
Clearly, there are other sectors not immediately within the remit of the NSMC that have the capacity to grow.
The Agri/Food sector on this island has a very bright future and the abolition of milk quotas in 2015 will open up new exciting opportunities for the dairy sector in particular. If there is one economic certainty it is this – the demand for food will continue to grow. Ireland’s most important natural resource, its land, will be at the centre of sustainable development on this island.
We have the potential to create a powerful food culture on this island which will be recognised around the world.
One of the greatest successes of North South co-operations in recent years is the creation of the single energy market. That market together with new electricity connectors between Ireland and Britain will support the renewable sector and stimulate competition in this key economic sector.
The proposed North South Electricity Interconnector is a very important part of the new infrastructure that we are building together on this island. It is of course of particular importance for Northern Ireland where security of supply will become an increasingly important issue in coming years.
Both jurisdictions on this island therefore have direct interest in working closely together in research, new generation and energy storage technologies and together can make a strong case for a major European Union investment programme in renewable energies in Scotland and Ireland.
Northern Ireland in particular but also the Republic has a well developed educational system and a very supportive educational culture.
The provision of educational services to international students is one of the areas where the island of Ireland has a comparative advantage, particularly as regards language.
The provision of educational services is a very lucrative market. We can grow our share of this market; providing an immediate income stream but also long term benefits for our economies.
St Andrews Review
On a practical level everybody needs to focus on how our two economies might grow and prosper and provide job opportunities and a sustainable future.
In our most recent discussions at the North South Ministerial Council and as part of the St Andrew’s Review, we have also agreed in particular on the need to use every opportunity to focus on getting better outcomes, putting in place policies that will lead to growing exports and foreign investment, working together on accessing overseas markets like China, India and Brazil, upgrading services, creating jobs and improving our young people’s skills.
We have agreed that Ministers will now examine priorities at their sectoral meetings, especially as they may affect economic development, job creation, and the best use of public funds and the most effective delivery of public services.
I look forward to discussing the progress we have made on the Review when I host the next Plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Dublin in June.
I still want to see further cooperation that will create more employment and boost exports. I have in mind opportunities to develop synergies on increasing our joint draw down of innovation funding under Horizon 2020 and jointly examining the potential to develop cross-border clusters of economic activity.
In the Europe of today states have never been more interdependent. This applies as much to Northern Ireland. Therefore cooperation and collaboration are necessities. It is by working together, politically and economically, that we can build a better future for all people who make this island their home.