Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure that it helps our cause to engage in commentary on the politics of the United States. The politics of the United States is a matter for the people of that country, the Congress and Senate and I am not going to engage in a discussion on which Administration, Congress or majority holds a particular view. As far as we are concerned, as a Government we will work with both sides of the aisle. We will work with Democrats and Republicans. My assessment is that this is an issue that requires a bipartisan approach. We worked, for example, on the E3 issue on a bipartisan basis. I had a very good and very frank discussion last week with Senator John McCain about these issues. I hope I will be able to meet him and some of his colleagues during the course of the St. Patrick's Day events. We intend to pursue this issue and if there is any assistance that any Member of the House can provide to us with regard to introductions, either to a particular party or representatives of that party, we would very gladly avail of it.

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