Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Mar uachtarán Fhianna Fáil, ba mhaith liom fáilte Uí Cheallaigh a chur roimh chuairt Bhanríon na Breataine go dtí an tír seo. Gan amhras, lá stairiúil agus tábhachtach atá ann. I am pleased as uachtarán of Fianna Fáil to welcome today's historic and important visit of Queen Elizabeth II to this country. It is a truly historic day which reflects the transformation of relations between our two countries. In that context also, we should agree that it represents a fitting tribute to the nationalist and republican vision of the men and women who sacrificed their lives more than 100 years ago for the independence of this nation. What they clearly wanted to achieve was a state that was independent of Great Britain but one that would develop and cultivate a relationship of friendship and warmth with it, our nearest neighbour. Their fundamental objective was that the people alone would have the right to decide the constitutional future of this island, something which has now been recognised in national and international law, in a number of referendums decided by the people in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement. It is fitting and generous that the British monarch was in a position to pay her respects at the Garden of Remembrance earlier today. Does the Taoiseach agree that today is also a fitting occasion for us to acknowledge and pay tribute to the tireless work of so many people during the years, often unnoticed, who through the long years of the peace process worked extremely hard to achieve the broad national constitutional consensus that has enabled this historic visit to take place?

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