Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

As a Deputy who has more prolonged experience of coalition government, Deputy Ó Fearghaíl understands that when there are two parties in government Ministers do not always tic tac with one another when decisions are made in their Departments. I do not know what went on in the Fine Gael Party. I have enough to do to keep track of what goes on in the Labour Party. I merely read political commentary in the newspaper, and that commentary is not always correct.

The Taoiseach has made it clear that if the Pope were to indicate that he wanted to visit Ireland not alone would he be made most welcome but would be given all the respect and courtesy a man of his position would require. When Pope John Paul ll visited Ireland I do not know if he came on foot of an invitation from the Government. He may have been invited by the Cardinal and the Irish bishops. I do not know the protocol of these matters. If the Pope wished to visit Ireland he would be made most welcome and would be treated with all the deference he deserves.

I hope this answers the Deputy's question.

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