Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend the chambers of commerce and councils involved in this project, particularly the individuals who came up with the idea and kept faith with it. Fair play to them. This is how things work. Notionally, the final decision on the project rests with the northern Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr. Sammy Wilson. One needs to give careful consideration to whether it would be of benefit for the committee to write to Mr. Wilson given that the DUP's position is one of opposition to the Good Friday Agreement. While it is clearly not opposed to the Agreement, which it is working, it may be a bridge too for Sammy to receive correspondence in the name of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Committee. I have been in touch with the Minister and his colleague, the Minister for Regional Development, Mr. Danny Kennedy. It would be preferable for people to try to have a word with Mr. Wilson in a corridor, rather than in a formal setting.

I have raised this matter on a number of occasions in the Dáil. There may be merit in the joint committee writing to the Taoiseach and Tánaiste requesting that they intervene with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

I raised it with the Deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin McGuinness, who informed me that he would speak quietly to the First Minister, Mr. Peter Robinson, about it. That is my take on the matter.

In the context of any letter the joint committee may wish to write, it should consider including the name of everyone present at this meeting, namely, those from the chambers of commerce, the MPs, the MLAs, the Deputies and the Senators. That might have the desired effect. However, it is the joint committee's decision. I am only offering a suggestion.