Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Taoiseach agus an Rialtas tar éis saoire ró-fhada. Tá a fhios ag gach duine thart faoin tír nach bhfuil an Rialtas seo ag comhlíonadh na ngeallúintí a chuir siad os comhair an phobail agus go bhfuil a ré ag teacht chun deiridh.

This is the first Leaders' Questions in the new session and there is a number of serious issues that could be discussed. We will have an opportunity to make comments in respect of Northern Ireland and decommissioning later. There are also issues in regard to the disgraceful and obscene waste of public money as shown in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General. Questions must be answered also about the issue of Thornton Hall during today's Private Members' debate.

I wish to deal with a particular matter in a constructive way and to suggest the Taoiseach's intervention in a manner which might bring about a break in the related impasse, which is of growing concern. The Taoiseach is aware that more than 90 days ago, five men were committed to prison for failing to abide by the terms of a court injunction. The issues that gave rise to that imprisonment are complex and the resolution of the dispute between the company involved, Shell, and the five men from Rossport will not be easy. Efforts have been made by a number of individuals and authorities to break this impasse and to deal with the issue of safety reviews so that the question of the safety of the pipeline can be answered one way or the other. The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, must make a decision in respect of this at a later date.

I have spoken to the imprisoned men and their families, Shell representatives and anybody else associated with this matter. I have tried to put forward constructive proposals that will break the impasse. There is now a complete contradiction and a polarisation of views in that the company says it cannot lift the injunction and the men say they will not purge their contempt. I gave the latter a legal perspective last week based on a case of civil contempt.

We have had intractable problems in this State in the past. Men such as Mr. George Mitchell and General John de Chastelain were called in and were able, over a period, to resolve issues of fundamental difference. Will the Taoiseach, as leader of the Government, involve himself in this matter? Perhaps he might appoint a mediator of considerable standing, acceptable to both sides, who would set about breaking this impasse. It will not be solved by hysterics but only by dialogue, discussion and compromise. The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, on behalf of the Government, must make a fundamental decision one way or the other.

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