Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Deputy Adams raised several issues. In respect of the economy of Northern Ireland and of the island as a whole, when I was on that side of the House my party set up a cross-Border forum dealing with issues that impact on people North and South. Deputy McHugh, who is from Donegal, chaired a number of useful sessions concerned with identifying issues in the agri-economy, tourism economy, business sector, health sector, education sector and so on. At one of those sessions we had speakers from the UUP and the SDLP. With Sinn Féin and the DUP in government together in the Assembly, we did not want to tread on people's protocols in so far as that is concerned.

A number of issues were identified which clearly, from any political point of view, would be of interest and benefit to the infrastructure and the economies North and South. The Deputy mentioned some which have been under discussion for a long time. Were we not obliged to pay €3 billion to Anglo Irish Bank for the next ten years, it would be great to be able to tell the Deputy that the Government could now deal with the Ulster Canal or a number of other issues. Unfortunately, that is not the way it is at present. Consequently, from that perspective the Government will continue to commit itself to working diligently in the interests of the development of the economies North and South and, in consequence, of the entire island.

As for what Deputy Boyd Barrett can do, the United Left Alliance can vociferously and strongly voice its opinions that when they take away life like this, those who perpetrated this cowardly act have no place in a democratic island. While we all can have political differences and can argue on the politics of one's beliefs, to deliberately attempt to take away innocent lives is not part of the Irishness espoused by the Deputy or by me and I condemn it out of hand from that point of view. I agree with the Deputy on the twisted mentality of people who may think they are doing something for some warped belief that has been and will be rejected by every right-thinking person in this country. All Members should stand 100% behind Mrs. Kerr as the mother of a young man who chose his career to play his part in the development of his community and country. His life should not have been ended by someone who crept up in the dark to deliberately plant an explosive device under his car, thereby ending his career of contributing to his community.

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