Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry for having to leave the meeting. I compliment the Minister, his officials, the Ministers of State and all involved in the Stormont House Agreement. It went largely unnoticed at a time of competing issues in the public airways but if it had been unsuccessful, it would not have gone unnoticed. I mark that and compliment all concerned.

The challenges are different with regard to the effectiveness of the UN as a peace enforcer and facilitator. The UN needs to look at how it might have greater impact in the various zones to which it might find itself called in the future.

It is a very difficult task. The unfortunate part of the problem is that as long as it appears internationally that the UN is ineffective in dealing with some of the military challenges coming forward at present, then unfortunately it becomes irrelevant after a certain amount of time.

As others have done I compliment the work on overseas development and the success in that area.