Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On this day 25 years ago, the votes on the Good Friday Agreement referendum were being counted. I commend the Ceann Comhairle for organising an event this evening to mark this significant occasion. A few days ago, the North went to the polls and delivered a seismic change in the local government elections. The clear message is that Ireland has changed and is changing. The clearer message is that people want to see the Executive back up and running to deal with the issues that matter in health and housing, to deliver good jobs and to make politics work for everyone. It is now critical that the British and Irish Governments come together and focus their efforts on the immediate restoration of the Executive and the assembly. This must happen at Taoiseach and Prime Minister level. We need to see an early meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference at that level. Will the Taoiseach work to ensure that happens?

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