Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

You are absolutely right, Mr. Ahern. They will not talk. They say that if they talk to us on an official basis, they participate in what we are talking about. On the point about the progress made in North-South co-operation on health, and certainly on an all-island cancer strategy, having an all-island strategy for education threatens nobody. You spoke about a job creation agency. Can more work be done on that? These are the things that can build this up.

As for our next speakers, I understand that Alliance has sent an apology. We now move back to Sinn Féin and then Independents. I acknowledge that Senator Black was present earlier, but she was not in the House so we could not take her contribution. She was happy with that, though. Deputy Lawless has to leave now. The problem is that while people can attend here in the Houses or from elsewhere outside the Houses, if they are Members and they are outside the Houses they may not speak, which is a bit of a conundrum.

It is over to Sinn Féin now. We will keep the contribution to 20 minutes if that is okay.