James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will start the second phase of this session on the implementation and after-effects of the Good Friday Agreement, part of a series of meetings we have been holding. I am pleased to take over from the Chair. I followed the debate from my office. I look forward to reading the iar-Taoiseach's submissions. There is quite a lot of detail and depth in them. I listened to Mr. Bruton deliver them and I will review them because quite a lot of substantive thought has gone into them. I thank him for that.

I will go round the table. Deputy Wynne is up next. I will put a question of my own first because I did not speak during the initial slot. Some of the conversation has covered this but I will ask Mr. Bruton about the Government position. I was interested in his earlier remarks. Should the Irish Government be a persuader in regard to potential unity, or a Border poll or unity poll, or should it be a neutral arbitrator? Does its role as a guarantor of the agreement imbue duties either way in respect of that? I would be interested to hear his thoughts on that initially. We will then go around the table.