Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

In the past 20 years a tradition has developed whereby the first bilateral visit by a new Taoiseach is to the British Prime Minister. The Taoiseach's two immediate predecessors had in-depth meetings with the Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron's immediate predecessors within a week of taking office. In that context, I welcome yesterday's meeting and that it was held in a positive spirit. Everyone welcomes the shared resolve to face down the few remaining groups which want to undermine the peace and reconciliation process which is a great legacy of recent years. We should also note the Prime Minister's support for the fiscal and financial strategies outlined last year and the Taoiseach's detailed promotion of them earlier in the day. The meeting was announced by the Taoiseach's staff as the first major salvo in a significant diplomatic effort to win for Ireland better terms with regard to the international support package as part of the EU-IMF deal. Given that this has been a primary purpose of the various meetings in which the Taoiseach and others are engaging, particularly yesterday's meeting, will he indicate whether he enlisted the support of the British Government for a change in the terms of the broader EU-IMF loan facility and the Prime Minister's support for the Government's efforts to persuade the German and French Governments to change the terms and, in particular, to reduce the interest rate charged? On the specific bilateral loan, will he clarify why he did not ask for a reduction in the interest rate?

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