Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

In finding a more suitable or appropriate location or a solution to the problem, the Taoiseach will have the support of the Fine Gael Party. I feel strongly that the National Archives are the history of our country and of our people and his Government and any succeeding Government should make arrangements to ensure these are properly exhibited and preserved, and that the facilities are made available to the staff to catalogue and detail them so that they are there for the next thousand years.

On the papers that were released, one that I noticed related to the fact that one of the Taoiseach's predecessors, Liam Cosgrave, ended the boycott on royal occasions which had been in place since the foundation of the State. Is it the Taoiseach's intention to have the Government extend an invitation to Queen Elizabeth of England to visit this State at some time in the future? There seems to be much speculation about this issue and perhaps he might comment on it.

I noted that the late Jack Lynch honoured his commitment to abolish domestic rates. One of the matters that seems to have been a cause of lingering difficulty for people is that in law one cannot allow for a reduction of rates. If, let us say citizen Dermot Ahern, who is seated beside the Taoiseach, does up his shop on the local street and improves the street scape, the local authority cannot give him a reduction for the effort made to improve the facade and the facility of his street scape. Is there any intention that, on reviewing the abolition of the rates, such a reduction might apply?

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