Sending Ministers to NI centenary event ‘in spirit’ of Belfast Agreement, says Martin

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has told his party that the decision to send Government representatives to a religious ceremony marking the centenary of Northern Ireland was taken "in the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement".

There has been controversy over the interdenominational service after President Michael D Higgins declined an invitation to go because he had difficulties with the title of the event which he felt was a "political statement".

Many Fianna Fáil TDs supported the President's decision and a report at the weekend suggested there was a backlash among several in the party against the plan to send Government representatives.

Sources said that there was little criticism at the meeting of the decision to send Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fine Gael TD Simon Coveney, and the Government Chief Whip Jack Chambers of Fianna Fáil to event at Wednesday's meeting. However, Dublin South-West TD John Lahart suggested the issue should be discussed at a future meeting.

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‘Clearly distinct’

In a statement last week the Government said it reiterated its full support and understanding for the decision made by Mr Higgins with regard to his attendance at the event.

However, it also said the Government considered its role in this matter to be “clearly distinct” from that of the President.

Mr Martin told Fianna Fáil's parliamentary party meeting that the decision to send ministers to the service of reflection and hope was "in the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement". He told TDs and Senators that Fianna Fáil was the party that drove the agreement forward and "We have to keep doors open and understand different perspectives."

Mr Martin added: “Our objective as a party is and will continue to be to unite our country and our people.” He said a Northern Ireland committee will be established within Fianna Fáil to open up opportunities “to engage and build new relationships across the island”.

Cavan-Monaghan TD Brendan Smith is to chair the committee. Mr Smith was among Fianna Fáil TDs who expressed dissatisfaction at the Government's plan to send representatives to the Armagh in report by the Sunday Times at the weekend.

He was quoted as saying: “I’m of the same opinion as President Higgins and I would have thought the government would follow the same line as him.

“The damage that partition did to this country is the concern I have, and I would be happier if there wasn’t a Fianna Fáil member of Government going to it.”

Advanced priorities

Separately, Mr Martin told his party that the budget has advanced Fianna Fáil’s priorities in Government.

He pointed to increases in social welfare rates, funding for the Housing for All plan and increased funding for healthcare initiatives like the a package on women’s health and efforts to reduce waiting lists. A number of participants raised issues relating to health.

He said budget measures for Deis schools and recruiting special needs teachers “will benefit many of those children in need and those in disadvantaged areas”. A number of participants in the meeting raised issues surrounding healthcare.

Senator Catherine Ardagh is said to have made a passionate contribution on the need for early interventions and therapies for children with special needs. She raised concern that children who only get four appointments per year will "never catch up". Mr Martin told the meeting that Government policy has allowed the economy to come back much faster than was thought in July.

He also said that there are some issues of concern in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic with a sudden increase in cases and mortality rising compared to the summer. He said the Government will “weigh everything up” as the planned sate for removing the remaining restrictions, October 22nd, approaches.

Transport

A number of Oireachtas members including Senator Lisa Chambers, Mayo TD Dara Calleary, and Dublin TDs Cormac Devlin and Paul McAuliffe were among contributors that raised transport issues at the meeting.

Ms Chambers raised concern about the Western Rail Corridor and the lack of a firm commitment in the National Development Plan (NDP) for the proposed project.

The NDP says a strategic rail review will examine how the Western Rail Corridor would be delivered.

Sources said she told the meeting that the reference to the project in the NDP is not strong enough and she said she hoped to discuss the matter in more detail with the Taoiseach next week.

Others raised the issue of roads that are not specifically mentioned in the NDP and said there is a need to be clear with Transport Infrastructure Ireland that the NDP is not exhaustive.

Cormac Devlin raised concerns about old persons and fuel poverty. He also said that there was a need to keep the reopening on track for October 22nd, that with 90 per cent plus of the population are vaccinated, there was a need to push on. He called for the booster programme to be accelerated.