Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I should think that, when one meets the existing bodies that are in place here, there is a great deal of work that can be done. I do not think one needs to form new bodies for the sake of doing it. That is always the case, be it with Waterways Ireland, InterTradeIreland or the agencies that are in place. There were quite a number of new faces around the table the other day at the North-South. I encouraged Ministers on both sides to engage with one another on a regular basis outside these meetings and to follow this thing through. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, was away in Singapore with the Norther Ireland trade thing. I think that is an important signal, if one likes. I actually said to Prime Minister Cameron that we should do a joint trade mission to a location where it might be appropriate. It would send out another strong signal of the close relationship between Ireland and Britain. I think that is something that we want to work on.

We have spoken before about the corporate tax rate in Northern Ireland versus here. There is an intention - or at least there was anyway - that, after the Scottish referendum, the question of a lower corporate tax rate for Northern Ireland might be approved or might come into being. That in its own way would add to the budgetary problems, I suppose, in Northern Ireland. There will be a loss of revenue, a loss of tax, if the rate is reduced, thereby putting pressure on other budgetary areas. Minister Ford has been very adamant about the impact of cutbacks on his area, particularly in terms of security, the PSNI and all of that.

We did send a number of personnel from Northern Ireland to Brussels on a permanent basis with the Perm Rep during the course of the Presidency so that they were fully informed on the agrisector, trade and all the rest of it. And actually, when one considers their line of investment into the country, it is quite strong and people are choosing to go to Northern Ireland for specific reasons. I would never object to the island entity marketing itself as a location for investment. In fact, I think that, when I was in Japan and a number of other areas, we engaged actively with the First and deputy First Ministers, who both seemed to be in most of these places. It is very easy to make a case for the island of Ireland as distinct from having two separate presentations about a place that is so small, relatively speaking.

The charge being made about the president of Sinn Féin is that he is restricting his deputy First Minister from making decisions. Now, that is the charge. I cannot comment on it, except if it drifts any further, one will run into serious problems with penalties and an inability to have services provided if the budgetary decisions are not made. Obviously, some of these are very difficult. I take the Deputy's point about everybody being treated equally and that there should not be any undermining of the power-sharing arrangement. Minister Ford play an important role and should be given his due respect for the office that he carries.

I do not have any objection here to having a debate on the issue as the agenda for the talks becomes apparent. People in the House here may well have some valuable contributions to make as to where we should position ourselves in terms of the Agreement and being a co-guarantor for that. Perhaps that might be an issue that we could address when the dates for the talks are finalised and the structure of the agenda is put in place. The Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, will report to Government as that evolves.

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