Dáil debates

Tuesday, 5 December 2006

British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages

 

9:00 pm

Photo of Seymour CrawfordSeymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to say a few words on this Bill. It may not be the most important Bill to come before the House but it is essential to allow the funding from the PEACE and INTERREG programmes to continue. This funding has been important but could have been more so if it had been additional as it was intended to be. I make no apology for that criticism. We need a great deal of support in the Border where many towns, such as Clones where I went to school, still experience many difficulties. My colleague from Donegal, Deputy Keaveney, knows that because of unemployment and so on, the Border area still needs a great deal of support. It is important that any funding that comes from the St. Andrews Agreement is shared not just with the Six Counties but also with Donegal, Leitrim and Cavan-Monaghan which have gained little from the recent prosperity in the country.

The Minister of State said that the Government is committed to taking forward plans for the restoration of the Ulster Canal. I welcome that because it will be a major step in cross-Border, cross-party and community involvement. It has brought the communities north and south of the Border together in a way that I have never before seen them united. If this can be done quickly it will help to cement the situation. Until Waterways Ireland is back working as it should, which depends on the full settlement of the St. Andrews Agreement and, in turn, the Good Friday Agreement, progress will be slow.

There is a need for movement in the DUP on power sharing. From meetings I have had with some DUP councillors and MLAs, I accept they have anxieties. However, if we go on like this forever, we will never see an end to it. The time is nigh and the opportunity may not come again for quite some time. I say to them in this House — they may not like to hear it coming from here — that it is vital they take hold of power sharing with both hands.

I say with the same sincerity to the Sinn Féin Party that policing must be dealt with in a proper way. We will not have the society we would like unless there is a proper police force that is acceptable to and has the involvement of all concerned. I urge Sinn Féin to get on with the job. I accept it is difficult for that party also, but if we all stand back from our difficulties nothing will ever happen. It is crucial that these two issues are resolved in the next few months. Both Mr. Gerry Adams on behalf of Sinn Féin and Mr. Ian Paisley on behalf of the DUP stated they want to be involved. The only way we can be sure of that is if, in fact, they do get involved.

I was interested to hear the reference in the speech of the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, to the energy sector. Regardless of the agreement, this is an issue that must be tackled by the Government. I visited Scottish Power with my colleagues on a sub-committee of the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body last week. I was most impressed with the efforts it is making towards alternative energy now and in the future. It is aiming at having 54% of energy requirements provided from alternative energy sources by 2020. Scotland is a long way ahead of us. If we are to benefit from cheaper energy through our links with Europe, we must move ahead in every possible way in that regard.

It is almost impossible for a company like Wellmans in Mullagh on the Cavan-Meath border to pay €1.10 per KW hour for electricity, compared to €0.62 in its factory in the Netherlands and €0.55 at its factory in France. If we are to be properly linked to Europe and have a genuine energy programme, we should at least be on a par with our European neighbours. Otherwise, we will lose more of our manufacturing industry than is the case to date.

We need a genuine effort to get industry to the Border regions. In this regard, the Ulster Canal is important, but so too is the fact that, at long last, a reasonable road is being constructed from Dublin to Monaghan town. If that is to be totally successful, we must use the funds that have been made available to go right through to Derry, the fourth largest city in this country. Such infrastructure is most important for the viability of industry, tourism, etc.

I recently spoke to a lady from north Monaghan who is aiming to provide 150 jobs in Glaslough. She hopes to provide 150 high quality tourism beds in her centre based around the castle and an equestrian centre. That is the type of spirit we want to see in evidence but it must be supported by the Government and cross-Border co-operation. The necessary road structures must be put in place so that when this local industry is fully in place, she can be sure people can travel there in comfort.

The road from Belfast to Dungannon was finished 20 years ago but it never went further west. The road from Monaghan to Derry has been improved a little but it still requires work. It is time for the Government to provide money. Perhaps in the budget tomorrow we will hear what is being given towards the peace process in Northern Ireland. It is vital that an announcement about such an allocation would be made soon. The purpose of the funding should be clearly set out and it should be earmarked to serve not just the Six Counties but the Border counties also. Without that type of commitment, we in the Border areas will remain in the doldrums in terms of tourism and industry.

To all intents and purposes, the IDA has not visited County Monaghan in recent years. There has been no effort to get industry into that area. It is vital that we use the final element of the peace process to ensure that situation is rectified. A marvellous announcement was made in recent years regarding County Cavan but it did not materialise. This opportunity cannot be missed so that we can look forward to a bright future. I commend and support the Bill.

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