Earlier I read the following reply:

I met last week with representatives of the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition and the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community to discuss the issue of parades. I also met briefly with members of the Parades Commission when I dropped in to a lunch hosted by Senator Edward Haughey.

At these meetings I took the opportunity to stress the importance of dialogue and accommodation and the Government's view that we could not allow this year's marches to threaten the Agreement that everybody has worked so hard to achieve. Both residents' groups expressed their fears and concerns about the situation. I hope that the message which is being clearly expressed by ordinary people in both communities — that they do not want conflict — will be heeded by all of those directly involved.

I and the Government are very anxious to see a situation brought about in which there can be a balanced, fair and agreed accommodation of the rights of the various groups involved, in the spirit of the commitments given by all the participants to the Good Friday Agreement to the achievement of reconciliation, tolerance and mutual trust and to the protection and vindication of the human rights of all; and drawing on the accepted principles of mutual respect for the identity and ethos of both communities and parity of esteem. The Government, and I personally, will do all we possibly can to encourage an accommodation on this issue, which will be receiving the highest priority in the weeks ahead.

My most recent phone conversation with President Clinton was on Saturday 23 May — as the results of the referendums on the Good Friday Agreement were coming in. I was delighted to be able to convey personally to the President the news of the decisive and overwhelming endorsement given by the people of this island — North and South — to the Agreement and to thank him for his own personal input and the input of his Administration in helping to bring about this very positive chapter in Ireland's history.

I also met last week with Sir Kenneth Bloomfield. I congratulated him on his report and the work he had done in the presentation of the cases of the victims of violence. This is an important part of the healing process and, as the Minister for Justice announced recently, the former Tánaiste Mr John Wilson will carry out a similar exercise for victims of the violence from a southern perspective.

It is not proposed to change the present arrangements with regard to Northern Ireland Affairs. As I said in response to Questions recently, the implementation of the State's commitments arising from the Good Friday Agreement will be closely overseen by the Government, particularly the Ministers most closely concerned, that is myself, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Does the Taoiseach see any merit in the establishment of a separate Department of Northern Ireland Affairs, with its own Cabinet Minister? The responsibilities of the Minister for Foreign Affairs appear to be over extended, given that he must deal with Northern Ireland, the EU and other foreign affairs matters. Under the Agreement, further detailed activity will be necessary on Northern Ireland, not least with regard to the proposed North/South ministerial council and the British-Irish Council. The UK Government has a separate Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

I do not wish to speculate on what may happen in the future. The arrangements which have been in place for some years have worked well. These include a powerful section within my Department and a section within the Department of Foreign Affairs. Over the past ten months, certainly since September, the Minister for Foreign Affairs spent at least four days a week in Northern Ireland up until the Agreement. More usually in the past he would have spent a day or a day and a half a week there. Other Ministers will be involved in the creation of the North/South ministerial council. We will continue with present arrangements until that stage when we will be in a position to see how the Agreement will be implemented.

My questions are prompted by earlier responses. Is the Taoiseach aware of the time frame of the events that unfolded on the Garvaghy Road last Saturday and of the reported detail of the use by youths of two hastily constructed petrol bombs? It is important this is made known to the Taoiseach because it would allow him to scotch any inference in the earlier question from Deputy O'Keeffe about the involvement of any other hand in what happened. From the information before me, the sinister hand of last Saturday did not emerge either from the local community or from organised Nationalist resistance.

Addressing not the symptom but what is at the core of these difficulties, does the Taoiseach recognise that if the Orange Order, which called for a "no" vote in the recent referendum, continues in its refusal to engage in dialogue and if it insists on imposing itself on communities then — Deputy Currie will confirm this — it will be among those who are attempting to wreck the new political dispensation, both within the Six Counties and with regard to the new island arrangements that have emerged as a result of the document's endorsement?

I received no information that local people, local organisations, political groupings or otherwise were involved. I believe there were some gangs in the area. I have no details on the number of petrol bombs involved, other than what I have seen in the media.

There are people intent on causing trouble and they will use whatever opportunity is available to them during and beyond the marching season to create difficulties. Those directly involved have to try to work together to build confidence. I am heartened by the pace at which a number of issues are being advanced. The issues of prisoners, policing, equality, the preparation of legislation and the administration of justice have been advanced in a short period. It will take time — into the middle of next year — to prepare and implement the reports which will be comprehensive. We have to keep the agenda away from those who want to create difficulties and undermine the Agreement.

Before commencing priority questions I remind Members of the new procedure which comes into effect today for an experimental period until the summer recess. Under the new procedure there will be 30 minutes overall for priority questions. Each priority question will be taken and given six minutes. The first two minutes will be devoted to the Minister's initial reply and the remaining four minutes to supplementary questions and replies. Strict time limits will be enforced by the Chair who will strike the bell when the two minutes for the Minister's initial reply have expired and again when the four minutes for supplementary questions and replies have expired, whereupon the Chair will immediately call the next question. Where two or more priority questions are taken together the time limits will be doubled. For example, if the first two priority questions are taken together, the Minister will have four minutes and there will be eight minutes for supplementary questions and replies. The new procedure is experimental as a way of ensuring each priority question is taken without overrunning into ordinary question time. I ask Members to co-operate with the Chair in observing the strict time limits imposed by the new sessional order.

Does this mean priority questions will be taken within the time available?

Yes.

If the Minister finishes her reply within the time available——

There are six minutes available for each question. There will be no injury time.