Brendan Smith warns against Article 16, demands answers on legacy
Brendan Smith addressed the Taoiseach about the Northern Ireland Protocol, medicines supply, and legacy issues. He rejected any British proposal for a statute of limitations or amnesty and urged full implementation of legacy agreements and answers for victims' families.
Protocol and Article 16
Brendan Smith welcomed the Taoiseach's engagement with Northern Ireland leaders and stressed that triggering Article 16 would be disastrous. He said surveys show the business community and a majority in Northern Ireland see value in the protocol and want it to work.
Medicines supply and EU assurances
He raised concerns about medicines supply to Northern Ireland and said he understood the EU had proposed a deal to address any doubts about availability. He asked the Taoiseach to confirm that assurance in the context of the protocol arrangements.
Trade and the Good Friday Agreement
Smith reminded the chamber that since the Good Friday Agreement cross-border trade on an all-Ireland basis has grown to the benefit of people on the island. He linked the importance of maintaining trade and cooperation to the broader stability provided by the agreement.
Legacy issues and victims' rights
He insisted the Stormont House Agreement must be implemented and said victims and survivors must be foremost in political work. He described the British Government's proposed statute of limitations and amnesty as totally unacceptable and reprehensible, arguing families deserve truth and closure rather than enquiries being closed.
Commission on missing remains and recent visits
Smith noted the upcoming Good Friday Committee consideration of the commission on the location of victims' remains and highlighted three people still regarded as disappeared who have not been returned to their families. He recalled a visit to Enniskillen and said victims from all sides, including those affected by loyalist and republican violence and by state actions, deserve answers and Christian burial for the missing.
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Taoiseach, I welcome your ongoing engagement with the members of the Executive of Northern Ireland and also with the leaders of the political parties. It is almost 10 months now since Britain left the European Union and the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland is still a subject of concern. As we all know triggering Article 16 would be absolutely disastrous for all of this country and indeed for Ireland and for Britain. It is clear from all surveys that the business community in Northern Ireland realised the value of the protocol and they wanted to work well. Other recent surveys also showed that the majority of Northern Ireland view the protocol as beneficial. Taoiseach, I raised with you before the specific issue of medicines and I understand that the recent EU proposes a deal with any doubts that there was in regard to supply of medicines to Northern Ireland. I hope you just can confirm that. As we all know since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, trade on an all Ireland basis and cross-border basis has grown to the benefit of all the people on this island. Again, with regard to legacy issues, the Stormont House Agreement needs to be implemented. The needs of victims and survivors have to be foremost in all our political work. The planned statute of limitations in effect and amnesty proposed by the British Government is totally unacceptable and it is a reprehensible proposal. That is what it is. The survivors and families that I know who have lost loved ones, they want the truth. They are not looking for vengeance on anybody but they want the truth. To close down enquiries now would be absolutely scandalous. To deny ever the possibility of those families who have lost loved ones, deny them getting the truth. If you take it as well Taoiseach, we will have before the Good Friday Committee this Thursday, the commission on the location of victims remains. Again, there are three people who come under the term that disappeared. Three persons who have not been returned to their families and buried. As we all know, those people were abducted, killed and buried in secrecy. The very least that any family deserves is to have their loved ones brought back to them and have their Christian burial as well. So I would like to see much greater impetus given to the whole issue of dealing with legacy issues. Thank you. In terms of the legacy issue, could I just say that we have consistently said to the British Government we oppose their proposals. We do not want anybody getting off. We think those who committed terrible crimes should be pursued and above all the families of victims need closure. Be it whatever actions taken by the British Army, by the provision of IRA or Republican groups. I was just in Enniskillen on Sunday and you just passed the building where the bomb went off and 12 innocent people were murdered. We do need answers for those families and loyalist paramilitaries as well have committed terrible atrocities. To me it is unthinkable that any government would not allow for closure for the victims of the families. Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Par� just. So we are moving on to the next slide- Ms. Par� just. So we will move on to the next slide- Ms. Par� just. So we are moving on to the next slide-
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