Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is hard to imagine in this modern age that people would be still fighting over emblems and flags, but that is Northern Ireland. Is the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade confident that the moneys he is putting in to create reconciliation and break down sectarianism, moneys divided between the loyalist and republican-Nationalist communities, are not actually reinforcing sectarianism and division? Has he any notion as to what kind of middle ground is being gained by the moneys that have gone into Northern Ireland since the peace process? It is one matter getting the guns and bombs off the street but another getting people to recognise a society which is not based on being either a Protestant or Catholic.