Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 May 2026
50. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures that will be pursued under goal 1 of her Department’s new Statement of Strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38332/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Statement of Strategy for my Department sets out key priorities for the next three years, including support to peace and reconciliation at home under Goal 1.
I continue to work closely with all key stakeholders towards full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements. I have visited Northern Ireland on five occasions since taking office and have met the First and deputy First Minister and party leaders to discuss the political situation and issues of common interest.
I engage regularly with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Most recently, at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in April, we discussed progress in implementation of the Joint Framework on Legacy published by the two governments last September. It is essential that both governments work to implement what was agreed, in full, and as soon as possible. That is the best route to truth, accountability and where possible, justice for victims and their families.
Promoting reconciliation in Northern Ireland and throughout these islands remains a key priority for my Department. I launched a new Reconciliation Fund Strategy in Belfast in March. This includes commitments to support innovative peacebuilding work, in particular in the context of a demographic and technological landscape in Northern Ireland that has changed significantly.
The fifth round of the Shared Island Civic Society Fund, a separate funding instrument under the Shared Island Initiative that promotes cooperation between civic society organisations North and South, opened for applications in April. The Fund has a budget of €2 million in 2026.
My Department continues to support North-South cooperation and the all-island economy, monitoring impacts of the Windsor Framework and engaging with Northern counterparts. The thirty-first plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) took place in Armagh on 8 May. The Taoiseach led the Irish Government delegation and First Minister O’Neill and deputy First Minister Little-Pengelly led the Northern Ireland Executive delegation. Issues discussed included business and trade, tackling gender-based violence, infrastructure and investment cooperation, and emergency planning and preparedness.
I also hosted an NSMC Institutional Meeting on 8 May with the First and deputy First Ministers. Ministers noted the pivotal role which Ireland will play within the EU from 1 July as President of the Council of the European Union. Ministers also noted the progress being made in key areas under the Strategic Partnership between the UK and the EU. I also met bilaterally with the Executive's Minister for the Economy Caoimhe Archibald, and we agreed officials remain in contact across our departments on cross-cutting issues.
In East-West relations, there has been substantial progress in implementing the UK-Ireland 2030 Joint Statement. A second annual Summit was held in Cork in March and a joint communiqué was agreed with substantial new initiatives, including cooperation on urgent delivery of critical infrastructure and clean power, investing in innovation and skills, shared work on energy security and a renewed Defence Memorandum of Understanding. Annual summits will continue to drive forward this work.
Biannual meetings of the British Irish Council continue to provide an indispensable forum for discussion among the governments and administrations of these islands, while we also have ambitious cooperation frameworks with Wales and Scotland through to 2030, which are being implemented on an ongoing basis.
Construction work continues on the new Ireland House in London.
Finally, sharing relevant aspects of Ireland’s experience of the Northern Ireland peace process, a conflict once considered intractable, is now a regular part of Irish foreign policy. While every conflict is different, there is continued interest around the world in learning from the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement. As part of our goal to support peace and reconciliation at home and abroad, we support initiatives to share this experience. For example, in January, Ireland hosted the 8th meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. The meeting offered an opportunity for senior diplomats from over 50 countries and international organisations to hear from key figures in the peace process.
In support of the Statement of Strategy, my Department’s Action Plan for 2026 was published in March. This is the first plan of its kind for the Department, setting out clearly the work we will deliver over the coming year. The plan outlines the key actions we will take to achieve the goals in our Statement of Strategy and Programme for Government commitments.
Updates on the progress of my Department’s Action Plan can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-foreign-affairs/publications/dfat-departmental-action-plan-2026
