The programme for Government commits the Government to the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, which sets out equivalency of rights protections for all citizens North and South. The Taoiseach said any rights or freedom that an Irish citizen has in Ireland or rights that a British citizen has in Britain should be enjoyed by British and Irish citizens in Northern Ireland and that applies to matters such as marriage equality and abortion rights. The Minister will be aware that scores of Members of these Houses and the UK Parliament wrote an open letter last July calling on both Governments to ensure that the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement is upheld and that human rights of women in Northern Ireland are fully vindicated. What is the Government's response to that strong call from parliamentarians of these islands to ensure that reproductive rights are given to the women of Northern Ireland?

Personally I feel that the rights enjoyed by a person on one part of the island should be enjoyed by every person on the island of Ireland but the only way that we can assist in asserting those rights in Northern Ireland is to do everything we can to help the reinstatement of the sharing of power in Stormont. That is what we have been doing for the past number of months and that is what we will continue to do so until it is reinstated.