Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Deputy is entitled to make smart remarks if he so wishes. He should regard this as an investment. Two global figures are coming to visit this country. Regarding the Queen of England, it is the first time in 100 years that a reigning monarch has come here and this is the culmination of a great deal of work by a great number of people who brought about a peace situation. The Queen responded to the invitation from our Uachtarán to visit the country. The same applies in the case of the visit of the American President. The Deputy is aware of the extent of the investment by American business in Ireland and the fact that more than 100,000 people are thus employed, many more indirectly.

The Deputy's comment about spending the money allocated for the double visit does not appreciate the scale of the potential which exists for tourism, business, the development of our economy and the presentation in a global sense of our country and its people. This is very short-sighted on the part of a Deputy from a constituency where the last monarch landed on a visit to Ireland. The Deputy should look on this as an investment for the future. Detail of all of the costs, to the last cent in so far as public moneys are concerned, will be made available to the Deputy after the visit.

We know we recently allocated €3 billion to Anglo Irish Bank and INBS and will have to pay that sum for each of the coming ten years, based on a promissory note. I cannot tell the Deputy the exact cost of the double visit but I shall have the figure when the visits are over. It is an investment for the future and a brilliant opportunity to present our country in a global sense with two internationally recognised figures who will visit, along with many others who will be associated. I expect the vast majority of Irish people will welcome warmly both visitors to our shores. The Deputy should have the decency to do the same.

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