Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for his detailed reply and for his commitment, both as Taoiseach and Tánaiste, to the concept of the pursuit of the best possible continued outcome of the Good Friday Agreement. However, an opportunity arises at this time to further the ambitions of the agreement in a meaningful way that reassures all the communities in Northern Ireland by way of continued engagement with them. It can also reassure them in a non-threatening and non-aggressive way that they have nothing to fear from closer association but they have a lot to gain. Unfortunately, a survey was carried out a few years ago to the effect that, in the South, people were not prepared to pay more in their taxes for a united Ireland. That is the question that was put at the time. We need to proceed more in that area and progress it for the benefit of the people of Northern Ireland and southern Ireland, both economically and socially.

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