Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta McGinley. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil an-suim aige san ábhar seo.

I was honoured to be invited to become a member of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly. On one occasion the old British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body held a meeting in Adare in my constituency during the term of office of the last rainbow coalition Government which coincided with the tragic and untimely death of Garda Jerry McCabe. One thing I have garnered from my membership of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly during the short time I have been a member is that it gives us an opportunity to make personal contact with people with whom we would not otherwise have contact. This allows us to get a better understanding of the issues they must confront and the manner in which they deal with them. Often they are similar to the issues facing us. In addition, it gives us an opportunity on an informal and social basis to build up trust and a relationship that permeates up to ministerial level. It is important that there is a social element to the assembly as well. The Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, formerly a member of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly, came back to speak to it. The Taoiseach is a former member of the assembly as well.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak about the assembly. Three things were to be taken on board by the Oireachtas. Deputy McHugh has already referred to the first matter. I congratulate him and Mr. Laurence Robertson, MP, on the manner in which the event was chaired. The first issue I wish to raise relates to muscular dystrophy. I have a particular interest in this issue. I noted at the assembly that one cannot have a situation whereby every hospital in Ireland is able to offer an expertise for every rare illness. However, there is a facility available to parents of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Newcastle-upon-Tyne through using the E112 form. It is important the procedure is allowed to continue and I made that point strongly to the Minister for Health. I was glad that my colleagues supported my remarks and that the Minister intends to come back to me on the matter.

Two proposals came from the head of Glen Dimplex. The first relates to an opportunity to be provided to Irish civil servants to do a stint in the United Kingdom, and vice versa, on a voluntary basis to get an understanding of how things work there, what works and what does not work. The second proposal involves trade missions being swapped on a biannual basis between Britain and Ireland. They are to be led at prime ministerial level, either by the UK Prime Minister or the Taoiseach, to show that there is a symbiotic relationship between Ireland and the United Kingdom. It is worth a good deal of money on an annual basis across the Irish Sea in terms of the trade between the two countries. Sometimes there is a temptation to forget those closest to us. Our closest neighbour is also our largest trading partner.

I was speaking to my colleague, Deputy Wall, before I rose to speak in the House. As a result of this week's programme, the bar has been lifted high for the British side on the return leg to Glasgow. There is no doubt the calibre of speakers and the location gave great credibility to the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly by virtue of the fact that it met in the Chamber of a parliament and the fact the Taoiseach was present. The same should be expected on the return leg. That is not to put any pressure on our British colleagues but they have seen a full and engaging programme. All members were delighted by the manner in which it was organised. Credit is due to the clerks and those who organised it.

It is important the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly is given an opportunity to feed into the North-South Ministerial Council and the British-Irish Council. At that stage there will be proper parliamentary representation and ministerial decision-making as well as having the Executive represented at the North-South Ministerial Council and the British-Irish Council. There is a great opportunity for the assembly to liaise with the two ministerial councils. I call on the co-chair to take this on board.

See this speech in context