Good Friday Agreement and Stormont cuts
Gerry Adams urges the Taoiseach to address threatened welfare and budget cuts in Northern Ireland with the British Government and uphold the Good Friday Agreement. The Taoiseach says he will raise the human-rights and treaty issues with the British Prime Minister, while also confirming the marriage equality Bill is expected by 16 July.
What I am putting to the Taoiseach is that there are major pressures on the institutions in the North. This is not solely about the threatened cuts to welfare payments but also about the Tory Government's planned cuts to budgets. The Taoiseach is equal co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement. Has the Government raised these issues or concerns with the British Government? Will the Taoiseach-----
Comment on this
Will the Taoiseach engage directly with the British Prime Minister and remind him that the Good Friday Agreement is a binding international treaty and that the commitments entered into in it must be implemented?
Comment on this
I expect the marriage equality Bill to be enacted in the House by 16 July. I think that is the date which is perhaps the week before the House is due to rise.
I am going to meet the British Prime Minister before the next European Council meeting. I mentioned this issue to him when I rang him to congratulate him on being re-elected as Prime Minister. This country and the Government are co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, as Deputy Gerry Adams is well aware. The human rights issue is dealt with in an international treaty. That is an issue I will raise with the British Prime Minister.
The Deputy mentioned a point about Acht na Gaeilge, a Bill of Rights and so on. Obviously, the focus of the Government in Great Britain was on the election. Now that the Prime Minister leads a single party Government with a majority, I will be happy to take up these matters with him again, including the fact that the Agreement should be implemented in full.
I hope discussions will take place today on the welfare issue which is of great importance. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, has been in constant contact with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State and the Deputy First Minister at Stormont. I wish the First Minister well in his recovery. I understand he was brought to hospital with a condition which I hope will be treated. I hope he will make a full recovery.