Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an chruinniú atá socraithe idir an Taoiseach agus Airí an Tuaiscirt. Sílim gur cruinniú maith a bhéas ann. It is very important when dealing with social and economic issues that we do not confine ourselves to this State - an island as small as this, with a land mass as tiny as this and with a population of fewer than 6 million people. There are many steps that could be taken to ease economic distress. The very good decision by the Executive's Minister of Health to press ahead with the cancer unit at Altnagelvin hospital is a case in point.

Will the Taoiseach ensure that Ministers proactively examine ways of strengthening the connections between the Government and the Executive and of strengthening the Good Friday Agreement, which is a hugely important and significant agreement? The Taoiseach said he has not changed the set-up for dealing with the North. I made a suggestion to him about appointing a Minister of State without pay to deal with the North. Will he reconsider that?

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