Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Taoiseach's predecessor invited former United States President, Mr. Bill Clinton, and former British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, to help him in the run-in to the election campaign in 2007. However, it is a case of embarrassment for the Government that a visiting President has made political remarks in this jurisdiction while on a state visit. It is inappropriate and an embarrassment for the Government in the context of where we stand in Europe and our future in Europe. The Government should have taken a far clearer view on this issue.

It was within the Taoiseach's information that the President would attend a particular function. It might have been better if he had been warned that this would be inappropriate. Perhaps the visit should have been cancelled altogether. Does the Taoiseach have a view on this? Did the Department of Foreign Affairs advise the Government or was it simply a case of complacency in the knowledge that the president might well make the statements that he made, which are clearly an embarrassment to the Government and to the work it is setting out to do in respect of Ireland's future in Europe?

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