Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for his comments. The pursuit of the normalisation of relationships in Northern Ireland has always had cross-party support in this House. Unemployment and lack of activity are the cancer that eats away at the heart of the peace process. This requires constant vigilance in respect of fragile communities in which young men, in particular, have a perception that the peace process may not be working in the manner they had envisaged with regard to careers and opportunities. That is the reason for highlighting the importance of the education process, direct intervention from the Assembly with the assistance of the two Governments, as well as international help from both the United States and the European Union. All these issues have been and are important and will continue to be so. That is the reason I took the opportunity to speak directly to Senator Patrick Leahy in Washington about the Appropriations Committee and the continuation of funding for Ireland. I raised directly with President Obama when he was here the importance of this kind of funding being used as an opportunity to leverage further important moneys from the EU. I intend to travel to Derry on Saturday for the opening of the new bridge and I may also have the opportunity to visit Altnagelvin's radiotherapy facilities which will be supported by this Government. When I make final arrangements for a visit to Northern Ireland, the dissidents, sectarianism and violence, as referred to by Deputy Adams, will be top of the agenda. This peace process was hard-won and we should not allow any incident or any event to disrupt the people and the communities from focusing on that future.

As I said in reply to questions, the attitude and the atmosphere surrounding the North-South Ministerial Council meeting, the first of its meetings involving the new Northern Ireland Executive and this Government, was exceptionally workmanlike. The Deputy can be assured that Ministers of this Government will interact consciously and actively with their counterparts in Northern Ireland in order to do as the Deputy suggests, to continue a work programme that will demonstrate to everybody that both Governments and the Executive are serious in the interests of continuing the peace process so hard-won and which has so much dividend to pay for the future and which can produce so much potential for the communities and the lives and futures of everybody concerned.

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