Northern Ireland
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-26
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Micheál Martin (FF), Cork South-Central

Whether it falls within the legacy framework or not, that is perhaps the best avenue to pursue it. If we can get the legislation completed in Westminster and here, we will. That is an important aspect of it. Even though it happened in 1976 the trauma goes on for the second generation - the grandchildren, cousins and nieces - and the need for closure continues with each succeeding generation.
To Deputy Hayes I would say that the most fundamental prerequisite for the unity of the Irish people is reconciliation. We need to build on relationships and really develop them. We also need reform of the Good Friday Agreement in respect of strand 1, which is about how Stormont works. I said this about three years ago at the Alliance Party's annual dinner. The SDLP announced reform plans. Sinn Féin is saying it will announce reform plans. The one party that is opposed to reform plans at the moment or does not believe in the need for it is the DUP. That is an important evolution that we would make politics a bit more normal in terms of where we are now in the configuration of parties and a wider spectrum of views at the moment than may have been there at the time of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, so there has been a significant degree of evolution. Fianna Fáil was very much involved in the Good Friday Agreement and the Downing Street Declaration. It is a passion for the party and something we are deeply committed to. We have left our mark, along with others, in respect of the major milestones. The shared island initiative is probably one of the most significant initiatives since the Good Friday Agreement that is dealing with the practical connections between people North and South. It is having an impact on people but we do need reconciliation in the Wolfe Tone tradition.
Deputy Murphy raised the issue of Lough Neagh and the destruction of many lakes. The nitrates directive will deal with regional plans for water quality across the country. Through the shared island initiative we have supported projects that are trying to deal with Lough Neagh. We have met with the Ministers in the North. They are very frustrated and worried about their capacity to deal with it because of how far the destruction of the habitat and the water quality of the lake has gone. We contributed to trying to help them to deal with the issue. More broadly in terms of lakes across the country and the EPA's work, the Minister for agriculture and the Minister for housing, in the context of the derogation, over the next three years will be implementing significant action plans on water quality throughout the country. There is an agricultural dimension to it, of that there is no doubt.
I think I half answered Deputy Tóibín's question with my response to Deputy Hayes. I do believe we need to reform strand 1. The British Government was reluctant to do so for quite some time. However, the Northern Ireland Secretary has now invited parties to make submissions. I have outlined which parties are prepared to make submissions. They can raise some funding themselves but choose not to, as the Deputy knows. There was a recent report in that regard. They are, perhaps, politically unpalatable but they do have that capacity. It does need reform and I hope some reforms will emerge in the next year.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:04+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-26