Mr. Niall Burgess:

There is a strong co-operative relationship between the Irish and US Governments on many fronts. The US Administration has given steadfast support to the peace process in Northern Ireland. Senator Harte is in Belfast today with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. We have a very constructive engagement with the US Administration on taking interim measures to address the needs of the undocumented in the US. We do a lot of close work with the US State Department on childhood nutrition in the developing world. Members of the Oireachtas have very close personal relations with many members of Congress, as the Taoiseach has with the US President. There are very strong economic relations between the two countries, in investment and trade. I would probably refer to different characteristics in other cases.