Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)

The Minister spoke about consensus and reconciliation and I agree almost totally with his analysis that the Senate faces a major task in addressing the report of the judiciary committee. I fear, however, that it may get through the Senate before the Easter recess but the House of Representatives will be the main stumbling block. I hope what emerges from the process will reflect the efforts of all sides of the political spectrum here and that it will be positive for the 40,000 or 50,000 Irish people in the United States.

A group from Fine Gael visited last year and the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs visited in June. I was a member of that group, and Deputy Michael Higgins was a member of the group that visited last week. The Minister and the Taoiseach were there for St. Patrick's Day.

The Minister's words of consensus and reconciliation are limited. On my return from the United States last Friday as I caught up with the news in the local papers I saw an article headed "My Fight for the Lost Irish in America", written by the Minister. The Minister argues that there should be all-party support for this valid cause but the political bile, hatred, nastiness, untruths and divisiveness displayed in that article did no credit to him, his Department or the cause we all serve. All parties in the House are united on this issue and supported a motion in favour of it. I ask the Minister to retract the untruths in that article which rubbished the efforts of the Opposition.

The Opposition may not have the expertise and back-up of the army of civil servants available to the Minister but we have gone to the United States at some personal cost and loss of time.

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