Barry Gardiner
Main Page: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)Department Debates - View all Barry Gardiner's debates with the Northern Ireland Office
(12 years ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Mrs Villiers
Yes, I can assure my hon. Friend that the co-operation between the Garda Siochana and the PSNI is strong and extensive—it is probably better and more extensive than ever before, reflecting the fact that relations between the UK and the Irish Government are better and stronger than ever before. I am sure that that relationship of effective co-operation has saved lives and will continue to do so.
Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Lab)
It is right and fitting that the House has been entirely united today in condemning this atrocity, and it is absolutely right that the Secretary of State took the earliest opportunity to come here and make this statement. I note that certain colleagues from Northern Ireland are not here this morning. I seek her assurance that she notified them as early as possible of this statement so that they could make their feelings known.
Mrs Villiers
I appreciate that making a statement on a Friday is not ideal, because not all colleagues can be here, but such was the gravity of the situation that I felt it was important to come to the House at the earliest opportunity—[Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”]—to inform the House of what was going on.