Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will begin, if I may a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, like other speakers in wishing Martin McGuinness a speedy recovery to full health and acknowledge the role he has played in recent times.

Last evening, the assembly in Northern Ireland fell, and elections are now under way. The political crisis over cash for ash has driven a wedge between the two governing parties in Northern Ireland. Over recent weeks, we have seen a scandal caused by the DUP bring Stormont to a shuddering halt. Sinn Féin, which was initially happy to stand back and let the rot fester, belatedly realised that Colum Eastwood was right to call for public accountability into a scandalous misuse of taxpayers' money. The increasing tension unleashed a number of other issues and has now brought about an election. I acknowledge the invitation of the leader of Sinn Féin to travel to the North. I have pledged the support of my party to my colleagues in the SDLP, our sister party in the Party of European Socialists, and look forward to campaigning with them in the coming weeks.

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