Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

They are also on Northern Ireland and, in fairness, we would probably want to give them more than five minutes today.

I want to ask the Taoiseach two questions. The first is in respect of the 50% of the package that will come from the religious congregations. It is intended that some of that will be in cash and some by way of transfer of property. On what basis is the property transfer being calculated? Is it on a current valuation or on the basis of some previous valuation because there could be a wide difference in what that would amount to, depending on when it was valued?

Second, in respect of the meetings we all had with the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, one issue the delegation flagged as something we might examine in this jurisdiction, and I bring it to the attention of the Taoiseach, are difficulties that are arising where churches are recruiting religious personnel - clergy people - from outside the State and where in some cases separate visa arrangements apply in this jurisdiction to those which apply in the United Kingdom. There are cases where the responsibilities of clergy people are in both jurisdictions - Northern Ireland and the South. I ask the Taoiseach, perhaps with the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, to examine the visa arrangements with a view to ensuring there is a smooth process whereby if a church is recruiting clergy people who require visas there is not undue delay in the processing of visa applications for those operating in this jurisdiction.

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