Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It has always proven to be a worthwhile body for issues that needed to be discussed. It is expected all the parties in Northern Ireland will again be around the table the day after the election.

I hope that a renewed sense of understanding just how important this is will prevail there and that they get the Executive up and running.

In response to Deputy Howlin, I do not have an objection to senior public servants taking opportunities, where they arise publicly, to deal with matters. However, as the Deputy is aware, under the system here one gets very extensive briefings from senior Ministers. They are delivered in political fora both here and abroad. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs deal with the General Affairs Council and they have extensive, detailed briefings on these matters. I do not have an objectionper se, so long as it is understood that a political process is being followed by the Government and that members of the Government are available to make comments as appropriate.

Deputy Adams raised the question of a united Ireland. I have seen the comments about a second New Ireland Forum and what that might involve. However, there is already a facility in the Oireachtas, the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, which could lead on discussing both the issues that are not fulfilled in the Good Friday Agreement and what the future might look like in the context of a decision that might be taken at some time in the future by the people of Northern Ireland and what that would involve in terms of different jurisdictions, different educational issues, different judicial systems, how it might be catered for in terms of economics and so forth. There is no reason that we should not use that committee to examine both the issues that are not yet fulfilled and also a brave new future that might lie ahead, provided the people of Northern Ireland choose by consent to make a democratic decision to join with the Republic of Ireland on an island that is part of the European Union of the future.

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