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

I thank Mr. Adams on behalf of the committee for his time and I appreciate it was a very important debate for all of us. We recognise by having these meetings the importance of finding a way forward for everybody. On the point of history it was in 1965 that the then Taoiseach, Deputy Seán Lemass, met the then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, Captain Terence O'Neill, in Dublin so in those days there was hope because the two political leaders were meeting. Obviously there has been a lot of water under the bridge since then and we have to get the Executive back up and running. The last point, if I may make it, is that we really need to have the North-South bodies working because they are critical to understanding and meeting the needs of people on both sides of the island. Hopefully Mr. Adam's party will have a huge part.