Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liomsa ar dtús comhbhrón a dhéanamh lena bhean chéile, Bernie, agus a chlann, na gasúirí, Emmet, Fionnuala, Gráinne agus Fiachra, as ucht bás a fear chéile agus a n-athair. Martin McGuinness became a peacemaker and travelled the road from terror to truce and through peace to government. The high office he held as deputy First Minister with three First Ministers was put together, in part, by this State on foot of its co-guarantorship of the Good Friday Agreement. He was a person who lived by his convictions and in my dealings with him as a politician on the North-South Ministerial Council, the British-Irish Council and in many other arenas, he was always generous and courteous but committed fully to the democratic way of achieving peace. He articulated that on many occasions. When I encountered Martin McGuinness abroad, we were very happy to provide him and the Northern Ireland Office with the facilities of our State in terms of diplomatic connections and invitations to meet with potential investors for the island of Ireland. He was always happy to raise the issues, of which there were many, with the governments of the day here, in Britain and at European level.

The answer to Deputy McDonald's question is "Yes". The Good Friday Agreement was established and voted on North and South by the people, who were overwhelmingly in support of it. It was enshrined as a legally-binding international Agreement backed by Europe, the United States of American and both Governments and it was lodged with the United Nations. There are issues, as Deputy McDonald is well aware, which have not been dealt with. I have a particular interest in the question of legacy issues, of which there are many. I would like to think that following through from the Fresh Start Agreement we can all redouble our efforts in the interests of everyone from all sides of the communities to deal with these issues which should be and can be dealt with.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

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