Summary of the 28Th Plenary Session, April 2004
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BRITISH-IRISH INTER- PARLIAMENTARY BODY COMHLACHT IDIR- PHARLAIMINTEACH NA BREATAINE AGUS NA hÉIREANN _________________________ TWENTY-EIGHTH PLENARY CONFERENCE 19 and 20 April 2004 Inchydoney, West Cork _______________________ OFFICIAL REPORT (Unrevised Edition) (Produced by the British-Irish Parliamentary Reporting Association) Suggested amendments or corrections will be considered by the British-Irish Parliamentary Reporting Association. They should be sent to: The Editor Room 248 Parliament Buildings Stormont Belfast BT4 3XX Tel: 028 90521135 e-mail [email protected] to arrive no later than 17 June 2004 IN ATTENDANCE CO-CHAIRMEN Mr Brendan Smith TD Mr David Winnick MP MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Mr Barry Andrews TD Mr Dominic Grieve MP Senator Paschal Mooney Mr Harry Barnes MP Mr John Griffiths AM Mr Arthur Morgan TD Mr Joe Benton MP Senator Brian Hayes Senator Francie O’Brien Mr Johnny Brady TD Ms Cecilia Keaveney TD Mr William O’Brien MP Rt Hon the Lord Brooke Mr Andy King MP Ms Liz O’Donnell TD of Sutton Mandeville CH Mr Conor Lenihan TD Mr Jim O’Keeffe TD Senator Paul Coghlan Dr Dai Lloyd AM Mr Ned O’Keeffe TD Dr Jerry Cowley TD Rt Hon Andrew Mackay MP Senator Mary O’Rourke Mr Seymour Crawford TD Mr Andrew Mackinlay MP Mr Séamus Pattison TD Mr Tony Cunningham MP Rt Hon Michael Mates MP Mr Chris Ruane MP Dr Jimmy Devins TD Mr Steve McCabe MP Mr Alex Salmond MP The Lord Dubs Senator Michael McCarthy Mr Joe Sherlock TD Ms Helen Eadie MSP Senator Joe McHugh Mr Iain Smith MSP Mr Jeff Ennis MP Mrs Rosemary McKenna MP CBE The Lord Smith of Clifton Mrs Margaret Ewing MSP Mr David McLetchie MSP Mr Hugo Swire MP Mr Paul Flynn MP Mr Kevin McNamara MP The Lord Temple-Morris Mr Donald J Gelling CBE MLC Mr John McWilliam MP Mr Gareth Thomas MP Mr Mike German AM Senator Martin Mansergh Mr Murray Tosh MSP STEERING COMMITTEE Co-Chairmen Mr David Winnick MP Mr Brendan Smith TD Members Mr Kevin McNamara MP Mr Séamus Kirk TD Mr Michael Mates MP Mr Jim O’Keeffe TD OFFICIALS Joint Clerks Ms Alda Barry, British Clerk Mr John Hamilton, Irish Clerk Secretary to the Body Mr Colm McGrady Delegation Clerks Scotland – Ms Alison Dickie Wales – Ms Elen Wyn Parry Committee Clerks to the Body Committee A: Sovereign Matters Mr Colm McGrady Mr Huw Yardley Committee B: European Affairs Mr Mike Clark Mr David Keating Committee C: Economic Mr Colm McGrady Mr Mike Hennessy Committee D: Environmental and Social Ms Audrey Nelson Mr David Keating Secretariat Mrs Veronica Carr Miss Amanda Hay Brigadier John Oborne OBE Media Adviser Mr Mike Burns British-Irish Parliamentary Dr Anne Robinson Reporting Association reporting team Mr Mike Lowes for 28th Plenary Meeting Ms Alison Lang Mr Toni Minichiello Mr Fintan Murray Mr Francis Sheehan BRITISH-IRISH RECENT POLITICAL INTER-PARLIAMENTARY DEVELOPMENTS BODY The Co-Chairman(Mr BrendanSmithTD): The Co-Chairman and I would find it extremely useful if those Members who wish to speak in the debate, but who COMHLACHT have not already given their names to the Clerks, could do IDIR-PHARLAIMINTEACH so as soon as possible; otherwise, they should indicate NA BREATAINE AGUS NA to the Chair their wish to participate in the debate. hÉIREANN Mr Jim O’Keeffe TD: I beg to move That the Body reaffirms its support for the Good Friday TWENTY-EIGHTH PLENARY Agreement, the workings of which are now being reviewed; welcomes the continued commitment of both Governments, and the CONFERENCE considerable progress made to date in its implementation; notes that elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly were held in November 2003; regrets that the devolved institutions have been suspended Monday 19 April 2004 since October 2002 and urges all parties to work together to secure their early restoration; and looks forward to a sustained period of The Body met at 9.30 am. political stability in which the devolved institutions can operate effectively for the benefit of all the people of Northern Ireland and of these islands. I draw Members’ attention to a small amendment to the PLENARY BUSINESS motion as originally circulated. After “the Good Friday Agreement,” the words The Co-Chairman(Mr BrendanSmithTD): Iwel- “the workings of which are now being reviewed” come Co-Chairman Mr David Winnick MP, Members and guests to the plenary session. I trust that we will have have been added. The agreement itself is not being a productive meeting during the next two days. I remind reviewed. That is of some significance. Members that the Body’s proceedings do not attract The Body has consistently given its full support to the parliamentary privilege. Good Friday Agreement. We have recognised, with others, Since the Body’s previous plenary conference there has that it represents the only real way forward in order to been one change in the United Kingdom membership. achieve a just, peaceful and lasting political settlement in Mr Chris Ruane MP, a former Associate Member, has been Northern Ireland. We welcome both Governments’ contin- nominated to replace Mr John Battle MP, who becomes uing support for the agreement’s full implementation and an Associate Member. In concurrence with rule 2(a), the its fundamental principles. following Associate Members have accepted the Steering It is worth recalling what those are. They are the reject- Committee’s invitation to assume Members’ powers and ion of violence in any form; the commitment to exclusively responsibilities for the entire session: Mr Barry Andrews peaceful and democratic politics; the safeguarding of human TD; Senator Michael McCarthy; Senator Paul Coghlan; rights and equality; the promotion of real partnership Mr Ned O’Keeffe TD; Mr Tony Cunningham MP; Mr Paul government on a cross-community and inclusive basis; Flynn MP; Mr Dominic Grieve MP; Mr Andy King MP; new policing arrangements; reform of the criminal justice Mr John McWilliam MP; Mr Alex Salmond MP; Mr system; and the normalisation of security arrangements. Gareth Thomas MP; and Ms Helen Eadie MSP. The agreement is now more than six years old, and At 3.30 pm, at the conclusion of item 3 on the Pro- great progress has been made in moving forward the peace gramme of Business — the motion on European Union process. We are entirely satisfied that the agreement that enlargement — a group photograph will be taken. emerged after such protracted negotiations includes the elements essential to healing a divided society and to building relations on and between these islands. Therefore it is important that the two Governments continue in their ADOPTION OF PROPOSED determination to protect and promote the agreement in PROGRAMME OF BUSINESS every way possible. New and positive partnerships have been developed The Co-Chairman(Mr BrendanSmith): Members within Northern Ireland, in Ireland, North and South, and have received the proposed Programme of Business. Is between Ireland and Britain. Devolved government has the proposed order of business agreed? brought together representatives of both communities in Programme of Business agreed. Northern Ireland to work with a common purpose for the 1 Monday 19 April 2004 Recent Political Developments benefit of all the people in Northern Ireland. It is widely me: that it is on par with what is contained in the report. recognised that devolved government worked well and I base my remarks on that review, but if that is so, serious effectively in meeting the needs of the whole community. issues arise. It reinforces the view that paramilitarism must Its success clearly demonstrates that co-operation based end. The report concentrates to some degree on IRA on partnership, mutual respect and equality is the key to activities. However, I talk of paramilitarism in all its forms. finding agreed solutions to, at times, very difficult and If the report confirms the IRA’s continuing existence and contentious issues. The North/South Ministerial Council its continued involvement in paramilitary and criminal created an unprecedented level of co-operation between activities, we must face that consequence and be prepared both parts of the island and promoted real partnership to back the report’s recommendations. The issue of the that benefited all the people of the island. link between the IRA and Sinn Féin has also been Through the British-Irish Council, the Irish and British raised; another area in which there can be no fudge. We Governments, together with colleagues from Scotland, must confront that issue. Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel 9.45 am Islands, have worked together on areas of mutual interest, including social, environmental and health issues. Progress This morning’s ‘Irish Independent’ states that Sinn has been made in the areas of policing, criminal justice, Féin has retaliated first. Its chairman has stated that security normalisation, human rights and equality issues, speculation on the report’s contents entirely vindicates and we look forward to further progress in those areas. his party’s position: that the IMC was little more than a tool to be used by the British Government to undermine We are clear on what we need: the commitment to the electoral mandate of Sinn Féin. My response to that exclusively peaceful and democratic means in the agree- is: bunkum. The IMC, as independent referee, has stated ment must become a living reality in Northern Ireland. its view. If Sinn Féin’s only response is to undermine Partnership can only work completely and achieve its the independence of that referee then it is no response. It reconciling potential when the use or threat of force has is an issue that no doubt will figure in discussions here. been finally removed from the equation.