Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

In response to my earlier letters to party leaders and based on the 2001 all-party committee report, there seems to be a basis to allow representation for Northern MPs in some form. It must be done with co-operation of Members but, for my part, I will bring it forward. We have already engaged with the British Government at ministerial and official levels regarding the peace dividend. There is a large agenda of items on the North-South Ministerial Council covering health, education, science and food. The human rights legislation is in place and we have set up the associated structures. We will continue to work on those in co-operation with the authorities in the North. The answer to the Deputy's questions, therefore, is "Yes". The Government, as we outlined last week and in all previous discussions, is prepared to move these matters forward as fully as we possibly can.

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