Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá fadhbanna ann fós maidir leis an slí atáimid ag déileáil leis na ceisteanna seo. Tá a lán ceisteanna ann, agus ba mhaith liom amharc ar na moltaí atá ag an Taoiseach faoi athrú a dhéanamh ar na rialacha a bhaineann le díospóireachtaí anseo.

It might be appropriate if we expressed solidarity with and sympathy for the people of Oklahoma, who have suffered. Early this morning, it was stated approximately 96 people have been killed. Countless people have been injured.

I have many questions. With a view to not using too much time, I will pursue those that the Taoiseach has not answered fully. It is good that some progress has been made on the effort to deal with the undocumented Irish. Mighty work has been done by the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform. The Taoiseach will agree that the difference now is that we have a bipartisan Bill going through Capitol Hill. There are four Republican and four Democrat Senators involved. The President has thrown his weight behind the legislation, as has the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid. We need to keep in touch with those concerned. The Taoiseach obviously has many contacts in the United States. These are issues that can be coaxed along by consistent nurturing of our relationships and encouragement of those who have to take the decisions in question.

The Taoiseach said he and President Obama agreed it is vital to support the political institutions. Bearing in mind the will of the people, we note the political institutions are secure. However, considering the way in which the British Government is dealing with the political institutions and remembering that the Irish Government is an equal guarantor of the political institutions and all the other commitments in the Good Friday Agreement, we must factor in what is happening at present. There is the ongoing injustice regarding Marian Price. I updated the Taoiseach on this the last time we spoke. Ms Price had just been moved because her health had deteriorated very substantially. It is almost three months since Sinn Féin made a submission to the review body. It is a case of justice delayed. The Government needs to be energised on the issue of Martin Corey, who was also held without charge.

The Government is a government of austerity so the Taoiseach might feel uncomfortable raising welfare cuts with the British Government.

However, it is introducing £1 billion in cuts in welfare benefits in the North. We all know the urban and rural neighbourhoods which suffered the worst aspects of the conflict were those which were the most disadvantaged and dependent on the state to help them. The Government in London has reneged on the £18 billion capital investment commitment made at the St. Andrews negotiations and has taken £4 billion out of the block grant.

I ask the Taoiseach to devise a strategy to deal with these issues. I know during the debate we had on Private Members' business last week that the Government very clearly and explicitly acknowledged a lot of the things we said. What do we do about it? I say that in the most fraternal way possible. Part of what we should do is devise a strategy to engage internationally, in particular with the diaspora and our friends in the White House and on Capitol Hill. With the G8 summit coming up, there will be an opportunity to renew our demand that all of these matters are dealt with.

I am disappointed the Taoiseach did not raise the issue of Guantanamo Bay and the hunger strike taking place there. President Obama has declared he wants to close it and release or charge those being held there. On this date in 1981 Patsy O'Hara died on hunger strike in the H-Block. Raymond McCreesh died on the same date in south Armagh. We have a long history of hunger strikes and prison protest, going back to Ashe and MacSwiney, on this island. The Government should raise this issue with the President.

I understand the Taoiseach said he did not raise the issue of Gaza. We have a peace process, imperfect though it may be. We have an international reputation because of that. There were bomb attacks in Iraq yesterday and 90 people, I understand, were killed. Today nine or ten people were killed in bomb attacks in Iraq. We have talked about the Jerusalem report and the failure to raise it with the President. I ask the Government to raise those matters.

The Taoiseach said all companies pay a standard rate of tax. News came yesterday of a Senate hearing on Capitol Hill which was told Apple had negotiated a special corporation tax rate of 2% or less. There is obviously a complete contradiction with what the Taoiseach said. The Senate report states Apple uses what it describes as tax havens such as Ireland, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. Are we a tax haven for global multinationals?

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