Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join Senators on all sides of the House in expressing sympathy to the family of the man murdered so callously this morning in Dublin.

Last week we paid tribute to the outstanding contribution President Higgins and his wife, Sabine, had made, with others, to the success of the state visit to the United Kingdom. As a result of the visit, there has been much speculation in the newspapers about the continuing relationship between our two islands which we have already cemented in a variety of institutions. One article caught my attention and although the subject is not new, it may need to be reopened. It is whether it would be in Ireland's interests to consider rejoining the Commonwealth. Interestingly, from 1922 which marked the foundation of the State until 1948, both the Cumann na nGaedheal Government led by W. T. Cosgrave and the subsequent Fianna Fáil Government, in its early stages in coalition with the Labour Party and subsequently on its own, always supported the notion that Ireland be part of the Commonwealth as an olive branch to reach out and empathise with the Unionist tradition on the island. Will the Leader convey to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste the question of whether it would be worthwhile setting up a working group to consider this subject of whether it would be in Ireland's interests to consider rejoining the Commonwealth? I am not advocating that we join, but I am suggesting the issue could be explored in the new environment in which we have operated since the Good Friday Agreement, with a continuing and an evolving relationship with the United Kingdom, including the evolution of North-South bodies. I pay tribute to the Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Seán Barrett, for his continuing initiative in this regard and I am proud to be a member of one of these bodies. Perhaps it might be worth considering having a discussion on whether it would be in Ireland's interests. We are already a member of several very important international organisations and a former Taoiseach, Éamon de Valera, argued that Ireland had an outward view of the world by being President of the League of Nations during the 1930s, when there was a very severe economic downturn throughout the globe. He had an internationalist view that has been continued by successive Administrations. It might be worthwhile considering if it would be in the interests of the country to examine the matter, especially considering what I have said, including the North-South relationship and the evolving relationship between east and west.