Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 17, inclusive, together.

On 10 March, my predecessor, the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, met Gerry Adams and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, in Government Buildings. During the meeting, they discussed the devolution of policing and justice, the upcoming investment conference and general North-South issues.

In the period around the tenth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, he participated in events both here and in Belfast, including a conference held by the Institute of British Irish Studies in UCD, following which he met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Shaun Woodward, and a symposium on the Agreement in Belfast, which was attended by many of the participants in the negotiations which led to the Agreement.

On Thursday, 8 May, I visited Belfast where I participated in the US Northern Ireland investment conference. Before attending the conference, I had a bilateral meeting with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown, where we discussed matters relating to Northern Ireland and affirmed our commitment to the peace process. We both met the Northern Ireland First Minister, Dr. Ian Paisley, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, before addressing business leaders participating in the US investment conference. Dr. Paisley did a considerable job in leading his party into power sharing government. While considerable progress has been made during his time as First Minister, the St. Andrews Agreement has yet to be fully implemented. I believe the time is now right for his successor, Peter Robinson, to take the final steps towards full devolution through the transfer of powers on policing and justice and the implementation of what was agreed at St. Andrews.

The investment conference was an important opportunity to showcase what Northern Ireland has to offer international investors. In the course of the day, I also met US Special Envoy, Paula Dobriansky, who greatly assisted in the organisation of the conference, and the New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, and I had an opportunity to meet a number of party leaders and representatives in attendance

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