Kenny says dealing with North’s past is a priority

The establishment of a new comprehensive framework for dealing with the North’s past is a priority for the Government, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said.

During a debate on the North and the talks process underway, Mr Kenny repeated his view that “there is no hierarchy of victims”.

He said: “I understand and acknowledge the frustration of families who for too long have had to contend with inadequate mechanisms for addressing their cases”.

For that reason, a comprehensive framework to deal with the past, as envisaged in the Stormont House Agreement, was a Government priority.

“We believe that these mechanisms offer the best hope of helping the thousands of families touched by the Troubles, including those affected by collusion,” he said.

Mr Kenny renewed the Government’s commitment “to ensuring full co-operation by the authorities in this jurisdiction with any new investigative body in Northern Ireland with appropriate policing powers”.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan said he was hopeful that real progress could be made "on the critical issues in the coming days, with a view to a successful conclusion of the talks".

He said it was essential all five main parties in Northern Ireland, with the support of the two governments, “urgently advance full implementation of the Stormont House Agreement and address the impact and legacy of continuing paramilitary activity”.

No united strategy

Tánaiste Joan Burton hit out at Sinn Féin, claiming its members “have no visible strategy to bring about a united Ireland”. She said winning a Border poll was not the answer to the question of the divide between people living in Ireland.

Ms Burton added: “In fairness, Sinn Féin has come a long way in recent years. We are now talking about all of us, Sinn Féin republicans included, laying wreaths at memorials, not blowing them up.”

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin also attacked Sinn Féin, claiming the party took the view that “anyone who criticises it is an enemy of peace”.

“Too much time is given to the ridiculous political posturing of people who want to wear the garland of peace but continue to justify and honour the bloody, illegitimate and sectarian violence they perpetrated,” Mr Martin said.

Party objectives

Sinn Féin leader

Gerry Adams

said “the responsibility of the Irish Government and of the parties in this Dáil should be to support the efforts to make progress and not to place narrow, self-serving party political objectives and opportunistic, untruthful propaganda above the necessary process of change and progress.”

Mr Adams warned that “all measures to deal with the past, including any legislation, must reflect the commitments made at Stormont House by the parties and the two governments”.

He accused the British government of “negativity, disengagement and mismanagement of both the peace and political processes”, and said this was “mirrored by the Irish Government’s semi-detached approach to the North”.