Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I compliment Ambassador Mulhall on his presentation today and his work over the years in different postings. Most of us will recall that the former President, Mary McAleese, had as the theme of her first presidential campaign the notion of building bridges. While we understood that as being about North-South co-operation, we were all delighted to see it being expanded to include the east-west relationship. The two state visits by Queen Elizabeth and President Higgins have been important in building relations and fostering a positive profile. Those visits were not organised without huge commitment by the staff of the two embassies and other support staff.

Is it the ambassador's view that doubts surrounding Britain's continued membership of the EU and whether that question will be put to a referendum are sowing seeds of doubt among the business community, or is civic society engaged at all on that issue? On the forthcoming referendum on Scottish independence, I realise we must remain impartial but I personally would like to see Scotland decide its own destiny and have its own particular structures of governance, as it so ordains. We cannot be disinterested on this issue. The ambassador is confined as to what he can say in this regard, but how is that issue being engaged with by society south of the Scottish border?

With regard to trade, the ambassador pointed out that 40% of our exports go to Britain. We are fortunate that in recent years we have had relative stability in exchange rates, with none of the currency turmoil we saw in 2008 and some previous years. On the issue of trade promotion, which is critically important, does the ambassador see a need to expand the potential of the North-South bodies, particularly in the context of trade between Ireland and Britain?.

The emigrant support programme, which is run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is extremely important for a group of people about whom we do not hear enough and some of whom may be experiencing very difficult circumstances. Many of those requiring assistance are in the older age cohort. It is important that in all our conversations about improved British-Irish relations, we have those people uppermost in our mind. Over the years the emigrant support programme has assisted societies and representative organisations in the major cities such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Luton, Glasgow and Edinburgh. I am concerned, however, that there also are communities in smaller cities and large towns which may effectively be under the radar when it comes to the need for supporting community efforts. For example, the large town of Coatbridge, situated midway between Glasgow and Edinburgh, has the largest Irish community in Britain.

It has a week-long St. Patrick's festival, not a one-day festival. I am anxious to ensure we cover all aspects of Irish society throughout Britain.