Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

This is the first opportunity in which we have had questions on Northern Ireland since the death of Senator Ted Kennedy. I join with the Taoiseach in paying tribute to the enormous contribution he made over many decades to bringing about peace in Northern Ireland. I also pay tribute to Mark Durkan who since we last had questions in the House on Northern Ireland has announced his intention to resign as leader of the SDLP. I pay tribute to the work he has done both in that capacity and in his earlier work with the SDLP.

Specifically on the devolution of policing and justice matters, can the Taoiseach give the House any more information than he outlined in his opening reply? He mentioned he has been having discussions with Prime Minister Brown. I understand that Prime Minister Brown is to announce a financial package in the near future. There has been some speculation that he would do so today. Does the Taoiseach have any information in regard to that and was he involved in any way in discussions on the preparation of that package?

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