Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I was reflecting, listening to the debate and the contributions of Deputy Smith and Deputy McDonald, on the changed atmosphere of debates of this nature since I came into not this House but the other House. There was a time in the 1980s and 1990s, which both the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, will remember when Northern Ireland as a subject of debate was avoided like the plague by all governments because verbal explosions were liable to erupt and unreasonable emotional things were said which caused great difficulties to governments at the time. People could not be contained in their rather fiery outbursts about the issues of the day. That atmosphere has completely changed. Today, we have a fair degree of agreement and there is no longer the kind of imperative that Northern Ireland should be debated on a regular basis because thankfully, incidents of the sort to which we had become used are now a thing of the past.

I speak, I hope with no great hostility on the matter, but the great issues of the day on Northern Ireland included extradition, and at the time I called for the extradition of people who are now Members of this House. That is not something which, luckily, I feel impelled to do or would do again in the near future. Things have changed greatly and all governments should be congratulated on that. All parties involved should also be congratulated. While the atmosphere in which we debate today is divided in some areas, it is mature and sensible. That should be noted and welcomed. It has been brought about due to the great efforts and sacrifices that were made with great enthusiasm.

However, it is not as though the problem has been solved. We should note that sectarianism is alive and well in Northern Ireland. It may be a little bit below the surface and does not manifest itself in the way it did, but one only has to look at the results of recent elections there to see that the voting pattern is as sectarian as it ever was. While people vote on religious or tribal grounds in a mandatory way, thank God that at least they do not get up to the same activities as was previously the case. That should be a warning to us that the underlying trend still exists and it has not been eroded at all. One can predict the results of nearly all but one or two of the marginal seats in Westminster elections on the basis of a religious headcount. That is deeply regrettable.

I congratulate the Taoiseach on his speech and the Government on its performance. As the Taoiseach said, co-operation between the governments has improved immensely. Anglo-Irish relations have never been better. Co-operation exists on all fronts.

While there has been co-operation in many cross-Border activities, I deeply regret the decision of NAMA last week not to co-operate with the Northern Ireland investigation. I cannot understand why NAMA refused to co-operate at a time when there is such broad co-operation between the institutions, and that when investigations are being carried out that it would take a blatantly partitionist stance. Thank God the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, is present as NAMA is under the remit of his Department. He might consider calling in Mr. Daly and Mr. McDonagh and instructing them to give full co-operation to the NAMA investigation in Northern Ireland, and to travel there to answer questions about what happened. That would show there is solidarity and that we are not going to obstruct in any way an investigation just because it is taking place outside the jurisdiction.

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