Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair — the two Governments — had agreed the announcements would be made on the same day. We had been in constant contact. It had nothing to do with following the British slavishly, off the top of our heads. This was a result of constant negotiations with the respective Departments and the respective Prime Ministers. The Taoiseach and Prime Minister Blair discussed this issue recently at St. Andrew's in Scotland.

See this speech in context