Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 1: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with Northern Secretary, Mr. Peter Hain, in Wales on 4 February 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4723/07]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 2: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his meeting on 4 February 2007 with the Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr. Peter Hain. [6076/07]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 3: To ask the Taoiseach when he next expects to meet the British Prime Minister to discuss the situation in Northern Ireland. [6077/07]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 4: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on recent contacts with the British Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6337/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 5: To ask the Taoiseach his proposals for the establishment of an Oireachtas committee to deal with Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6747/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 6: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent contacts with the political parties in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6748/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 7: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on recent developments regarding the peace process in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6749/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 8: To ask the Taoiseach his recent contacts with the British Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6750/07]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 9: To ask the Taoiseach if he has finalised his itinerary for his planned trip to the United States over the St. Patrick's Day 2007 period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7295/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 10: To ask the Taoiseach if the arrangements for his forthcoming visit to the United States of America have been finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7812/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 11: To ask the Taoiseach if he will convene a meeting of the Ireland America Economic Advisory Board during his next visit to the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7813/07]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 12: To ask the Taoiseach his proposals for the establishment of an Oireachtas committee on Northern Ireland matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8365/07]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 13: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr. Peter Hain. [8935/07]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 14: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent contacts with the political parties in Northern Ireland. [8936/07]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 15: To ask the Taoiseach his priorities for his visit to the United States over the St. Patrick's Day period. [8937/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 16: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9536/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 17: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with US President George Bush; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9537/07]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 18: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the outcome of his meeting with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair on 9 March 2007. [9616/07]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 19: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the outcome of the assembly elections in Northern Ireland on 7 March 2007. [9617/07]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 20: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the outcome of his visit to the United States over the 2007 St. Patrick's Day period. [9618/07]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 21: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his meetings with President Bush and other political leaders during his visit to the United States over the 2007 St. Patrick's Day period. [9619/07]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 22: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the costs incurred by himself and by Ministers of State at his Department on St. Patrick's Day trips in 2007, including the cost for car or limousine hire; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11369/07]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 22, inclusive, together.

On Monday, we were witness to truly unprecedented developments in Northern Ireland. Anyone with any sense of the history and troubles of this island understands the significance of the meeting between Sinn Féin and the DUP and their unequivocal agreement to restore the devolved institutions on 8 May. I know that everyone in this House applauds these developments which have the potential to transform the future of this island.

I discussed the emerging situation with Prime Minister Blair on several occasions over the weekend and we also met in Berlin on Sunday. We also spoke on the telephone immediately following the Sinn Féin and the DUP announcement. In view of the absolute commitment to the restoration of the Good Friday Agreement institutions, we agreed to accommodate the new date of 8 May. The Prime Minister and I will remain in touch over the coming period. Emergency legislation was last night passed at Westminster to accommodate the new date for restoration.

Northern Ireland has moved into a new and very positive place. We will continue to assist the parties in any way possible as they prepare together for restoration. I urge them to make the best use of the preparatory period now available to ensure the new Executive will be able to discharge its responsibilities with full and immediate effect from 8 May. I welcome the announcement that the preparation for government will include regular meetings between the future First and Deputy First Ministers.

On 4 February, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and I met with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Mr. Peter Hain, in Wales. We discussed progress on the Northern Ireland peace process and its assembly election. That election, which was held on 7 March, was an integral part of the process and timetable agreed at St. Andrews. The results of the election were a strong validation by the people of Northern Ireland of the St. Andrews Agreement. It is gratifying that the parties have now responded to the will of the people.

The improved financial package for Northern Ireland that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, revealed last week includes a substantial contribution from the South, which will result in improved linkages between North and South benefiting everyone on this island. While the parties envisage further discussions on the package with the Treasury, I hope that what has already been announced will enable the new Executive to have the scope and opportunity to achieve real economic progress in Northern Ireland.

As at all stages in the peace process, close contact is maintained at different levels with the British Government and with the political parties in Northern Ireland. During my visit to the US, I had an opportunity for engagement with a number of Northern politicians and, together with the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, I met a Sinn Féin delegation last week. I continue to advance the proposal to establish a new joint Oireachtas committee on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Officials are currently working on drafting orders of reference for a new joint committee.

I visited the United States from 13 to 16 March to mark the St. Patrick's Day period. During this time, I visited New York, where I met the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, and key representatives of the financial services industry. I also visited the Twin Towers memorial centre, spoke at the Council on Foreign Relations and met a delegation from the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform.

I travelled to Washington on 14 March and attended the American Ireland Fund national gala dinner. On 15 March, I attended the Speaker's lunch on Capitol Hill and had meetings with a large number of prominent US politicians, such as Senators Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell. I also met the Friends of Ireland group and the Ireland America Economic Advisory Board.

On 16 March, I participated in the traditional ceremonies at the White House when I presented President Bush with a bowl of shamrock. I then met the President in the Oval Office for discussions on Northern Ireland, immigration reform and several other current international issues. The support and encouragement of the President and our friends in the United States for our efforts in securing agreement in Northern Ireland is greatly appreciated. I particularly welcome the fact that the President was in contact directly with both Dr. Paisley and Gerry Adams last week.

During the St. Patrick's Day period, the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Kitt, visited Warsaw from 14 to 18 March. The Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Treacy, was in Ireland for St. Patrick's Day. Detailed costs arising from both the Minister of State's visit to Poland and my visit to the United States are not yet available.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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At the outset, I wish to record my warm welcome for the agreement reached between the DUP and Sinn Féin on the full establishment of the Executive by 8 May. The Taoiseach is aware that Sinn Féin would have preferred the Executive and all the other bodies that arise from it to have been up and running as of Monday of this week. Undoubtedly however, the Adams-Paisley agreement was truly historic and every effort must now be employed to ensure that the Executive and the all-Ireland Ministerial Council are up and running as of 8 May. I ask the Taoiseach to outline the support measures the Government will undertake to advance all-Ireland development and strengthen the underpinning of the agreement. Does he agree such infrastructural and other developments will be essential if the new Executive is to thrive and grow? Will he confirm that among the infrastructural projects the Government is prepared to support will be an enhanced road service from Dublin to the north west serving Derry and Donegal? Will he ensure the commencement of the long promised flagship project dating back to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, namely, the Ulster Canal project and all that can arise therefrom? Does he agree that not only is it achievable but that it is also required that we ensure the full potential is realised with regard to co-operation in health care delivery in order that every citizen can benefit from the pooled health care resources, North and South? The same applies to education and a raft of other areas.

It is just over one year since the Dáil unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the British Government to establish a full independent inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane at the hands of British agents. Since then further information has come to light on the extent of collusion between British forces and loyalist paramilitary surrogates. This includes the report of the police ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan. Does the Taoiseach agree that this is a vital part of the peace process and will he report on the progress made in pressing the British Prime Minister to fully co-operate? With little time, presumably, remaining of the current British Prime Minister's tenure in office, will the Taoiseach avail of the opportunity to seek and secure a summit with him to specifically address this area? Will he give us this commitment today?

Will the Taoiseach advise us on whether before this day is out we will have sight of the details of the McEntee report on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings? What is he prepared to do on receipt of same?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The agreement is an historic landmark and an important development. I am delighted we reached such a pivotal point in what has been a long process. I would rather see the institutions being set up this week but having said that, the negotiations, agreements and understandings are even more important. Undoubtedly, it is a golden moment and an unprecedented hope. We all have to work to ensure it will happen. We can see the agreement was front page news yesterday on every continent. In the Middle East stations took an enormous interest and carried headlines throughout the day. It is a good message that a peace process can work and make progress. I know every peace process is different but at least it gives encouragement to many working on others.

Anyone with a sense of history of the Troubles will understand the meaning of all of this. There is no doubt that the meeting and agreement between Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams mark an historic juncture. For the first time all of the parties in Northern Ireland have agreed on a way forward together. It is hoped in the years to come this will prove to be unprecedented, very positive and welcome. It is important that we move on in an entirely new spirit to implement all aspects of the agreement. We have a few weeks to undertake a lot of preparatory work. I am glad the First Minister and Deputy First Minister elect will engage directly during this period. It is enormously important that no more time is lost. We have lost enough but will be positive that this can happen. I hope for a lot of early engagement and that everyone will agree that the delay is a price worth paying and that at least we can all sign up to it.

From the Government's perspective, I can confirm the work we have done on two fronts on North-South bodies. The staff of the North-South bodies and those involved in various Government agencies across the system are ready to move on issues which were held up and work on new ones on a North-South basis. This was always the dynamic of the Good Friday Agreement and I am totally committed to this work. We can make enormous progress in a range of areas without creating difficulties for anybody and are prepared to do so, as we showed during the interregnum period and through our support for Derry airport when major difficulties arose last year.

Deputy Ó Caoláin asked about the financial package. Last week the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, announced that Northern Ireland would benefit from an improved financial package on top of the measures announced on 1 November if the parties agreed to restore the Northern Ireland Executive. This package consists of a sum of £35 billion over the next four years and will provide support for an £18 billion capital investment strategy during the next ten years. The improved package also contains an additional sum of £1 billion, of which £400 million will comes from the Government to improve infrastructure and job prospects in Northern Ireland, specifically roads and infrastructure in the north west.

In January the national development plan identified key areas for North-South joint investment initiatives which included a list of new strategic projects. It is proposed to complete a high quality road network on the inter-urban routes linking the major population centres of Dublin, Belfast and the north west, including in particular the development of a dual carriageway standard road to Derry and Donegal. This will remove the single largest impediment to the future development of the entire north west and the Border counties. To make last week's announcement meaningful, we have provided additional resources which the Minister for Finance approved last week.

I understand the British Government signed a retail consortium agreement with major companies to provide additional jobs in Northern Ireland and that the financial package also contains a commitment to carry out a review of the differences in tax rates, North and South. This is an important initiative. I have been supportive of the various groups lobbying for it during the past 18 months.

Regarding the Finucane case, I met Geraldine Finucane in the United States. This year a resolution was passed in the US Senate which was another important step. There is great interest in the case, on which I reported at length at a meeting of the Friends of Ireland at which there was a large attendance, the biggest I have seen since 1998. I should add that in the recent election a number of new Friends of Ireland were elected, including a number of young members. This adds to our list of contacts for the future and I thank them for their engagement. I brought them through the Finucane case, of which they were well aware, the various initiatives taken in the past year, the difficulty with the inquiry and the Government's stand on it. Throughout the past year both the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, and I raised the issue at every meeting with the British Prime Minister and other Ministers. I reported before on the difficulties and the position of the British Government so I will not repeat that. We will continue to do this.

It is not a question of having a separate meeting as every time we meet members of the British Government on this we put forward our strong views to Secretary of State Hain, other Ministers and the Prime Minister Blair, and we will continue to do so in trying to bring finality to these cases.

I have received the McEntee report and I am trying to work my way through it. I have not gone through it completely yet but there are a number of points on which I will have to seek legal advice from the Attorney General. I hope to give it to him so he can deal with it as soon as I have got through it — my officials have just about got through it. I will not delay and it is my intention, as soon as I receive the legal advice, to publish the report.

On the provisions of the committee of investigations, I may not have got this right the last time I answered a question by Deputy Rabbitte when I stated that we would redact the names, as we did with other reports, but on checking that, we cannot do so with the committee of investigations. I believed the case to be similar to the Barron and other reports, but one of my officials brought to my attention what I said so if I misled the House on the issue, I apologise.

I must publish the report as it is and I will have to get the legal requirements right, but there will be no redaction. The report will be published as it is given to me.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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All of us wished that the institutions would have been up and running in full from last Monday's date. Nonetheless, what has happened is a landmark development. I had the opportunity yesterday to pay tribute to the Taoiseach on his role and patience in bringing about that position. What does the Taoiseach anticipate in respect of Sinn Féin's participation in the newly constituted policing board and the district partnerships? Is that likely to happen this side of 8 May and will there be progress and development in that regard?

I also ask the Taoiseach about the activity of dissident republicans. I presume he saw the remarks made in the House of Commons yesterday by William McCrea, who asserted that arms were imported into Northern Ireland last week. What, in broad terms, is the intelligence available to the Taoiseach on the threat from dissident republicans in that regard?

North-South bodies have been on a care and maintenance basis since the suspension of the assembly. Is legislation required in this House with regard to their functioning as envisaged in the Good Friday Agreement? I wrote to the Taoiseach some weeks ago in that regard and I wonder whether he has had an opportunity to examine the issue? Will he state his position? Was the North-South interparliamentary forum discussed during the negotiations and what is the position now? This has been one of the outstanding issues since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

In respect of our contribution of €400 million to the €1 billion fund advanced by the Chancellor the Exchequer, is that contribution from the Irish Exchequer in addition to the allocation to the North-South projects as envisaged in the national development plan?

There was some unexpected advice by the Government Whip to the Opposition Whips on 13 January regarding a North-South committee. Is that still on the agenda and is it intended that anything will happen in this respect in the lifetime of this Dáil?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Rabbitte for his acknowledgement of my role, which I appreciate.

On policing, I do not believe anything will happen prior to 8 May other than that discussions will take place. The board will have to be reconstituted and I assume that will coincide with 8 May or it will be after it. I do not think it will be reconstituted before that. That will be a call for the Secretary of State but with the ongoing discussions and negotiations, they will probably be done together. There was no particular endorsement of how it would be done other than that there would be co-operation.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Does the Taoiseach believe it will be done quickly afterwards?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I think so. There are no outstanding reasons it cannot be reconstituted and moved on.

I have no particular information on the arms issue. There are still subversive groups, though small in number and dedicated in their unhelpful mission. They are still about and there have been some reports of activities, all from the usual sources. They still take up quite a large amount of effort and resources. There is always the worry that they can strike and create problems. It is always when progress is being made that we worry most about these elements. Up to 8 May there will be heightened surveillance of these groups.

On the North-South issues, I have had the Deputy's letter checked by legal people and the Department, and we are almost ready to reply. I will provide a lengthy reply, dealing with many issues. The end result is that everybody who examined the letter, which contained good points, is satisfied that under the terms of the existing legislation, particularly the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999, the bodies are fully and properly accountable to the Oireachtas. They are satisfied the necessary legislation is in place to provide for appropriate parliamentary accountability of State bodies. I will give the Deputy a full reply containing references and analyses. The Deputy will accept that many of the points are of a legal nature, but I have had them cross-checked.

With regard to the parliamentary forum, the Minister for Foreign Affairs is anxious for us to move on that. When I attended the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body recently I spoke to members on the issues. There is an opportunity now, in the parliamentary and the British-Irish forum, to get back to where we were. It will probably not happen this side of the summer but we should try to get the parliamentary groups and forums together in the autumn, with a new Dáil and Assembly, with the imminent changes that will take place across the water. The ideal time would be late September or early October, with all of them being done together. Everybody is agreed they should go on so we should move on it.

Discussions with the Government Whip are still active and I would like to finalise those issues. We will probably not get much work done on them in the life of this Dáil but we could at least have arrangements made to start in a new Dáil term. We could agree the arrangements or enhance them if possible.

Regarding resources, the money will be additional to make the package meaningful, build on the initiatives of the national development plan and help the dynamics of last week. As Deputy Rabbitte will appreciate, there was a lot of work in the background surrounding the events in the past few days, a big part of which concerned the economic issue. For us to make a meaningful package and to work with the Treasury and Chancellor Gordon Brown, it was our considered view that we should take a wholehearted approach, which has been acknowledged by Dr. Paisley, Gerry Adams, the British Government and the other parties in the North.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I acknowledge the role of the Taoiseach and the Government. The Green Party and all parties welcome the level of stability that has been brought to Northern politics. Last Friday, I was glad to be in Stormont to meet my newly elected Green Party colleague, Brian Wilson. The assembly is changing and developing alongside wider society. Given that the category of "Other" in the assembly is growing, is there any hope there will be a reduction in the level of segregation, particularly in terms of housing and education? Is it the plan of the Governments and the assembly to address these issues, which should be a priority if we are to have any reconciliation in society and not just between the politicians?

Regarding all-island institutions, I would like to press the urgency of bringing forward the register of persons considered unsafe to work with children. In the wider context of energy strategy, in which the Minister for Foreign Affairs is interested thanks to his previous portfolio, what hope is there that we will genuinely and effectively develop on an all-island basis the energy revolution being discussed in the European Commission? The Environmental Protection Agency is hampered by the fact it cannot operate as a single organisation on an all-island basis. Does it form part of the Government's objective?

Yesterday, the Cabinet discussed the long-awaited report of the 1974 Dublin-Monaghan bombings. Are we to debate collusion before the Dáil rises? I understood the Government hoped to publish the findings before Easter. Will the Taoiseach arrange a debate in the House?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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We should have a debate on collusion. It will be during this Dáil. I thank Deputy Sargent for his remarks.

On the first issue, we have invested an increased amount of resources in the American Ireland Fund, which is dealing with the issue of the segregation of education. A large part of the money goes towards integrated education and the fund is making good progress. It would have been a difficult area in Northern Ireland. The large number of projects, albeit small in overall terms, are making a good impact and doing good work through committed people.

As we move on and like the American Ireland Fund, a lot of our efforts must tackle the issues around sectarianism, to try to make changes that were not possible in the past and to breathe new life into the issue.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Housing also.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, on the systems and allocation of housing. The Deputy raised the children issue yesterday. I have talked to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, about it and he has his officials working on it. There is ongoing dialogue through the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, but we have asked to bring the matter to a conclusion. In the interregnum, we will try to make progress. We have moved a long way.

The same is the case in respect of the all-island energy market. Work is almost complete. I have not been updated on it for some time, but it was at an advanced stage. It should not take too long to complete.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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My other question was on the EPA.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Is the Deputy referring to an all-island basis?

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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The Taoiseach might examine the issue.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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What progress has been made in equalising the corporation tax rate? Some 68% of the economy in Northern Ireland is driven by public administration. With a limited number of exporting companies, it needs serious attention if it is to grow in comparison to the growth rates in the Republic during the past ten years. The Taoiseach realises that one cannot have an imbalance between the Twenty-six Counties and the Six Counties during the next decade. Are there discussions on the matter or is Chancellor Brown making progress? It is difficult, as others may want investment in different parts of the British Isles.

Will the Taoiseach update the House on the provision of the North-South interconnector? For a long time, the interconnector has been needed to apply downward pressure on electricity prices. It would not be physically difficult to provide the infrastructure.

I agree with the Taoiseach on the dual carriageway from Derry to Donegal, as it is a necessary and major piece of infrastructure. The N11 or N16 road from Enniskillen to Sligo, which the Taoiseach visited recently, is bad and has seen a number of serious accidents. Does that cross-Border infrastructure not deserve attention? Despite the North-South business, that major artery is clogged and the NRA does not give it the priority it deserves.

In the next decade, does the Taoiseach foresee a convergence of the economic development of the island of Ireland? In due course, there may be political convergence, but ours is a small island on the edge of Europe, which is facing challenges from the United States and the Far East.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy raised a number of issues. Work on the interconnector is continuing and is well advanced. Money in the national development plan has been provided for it. We have been supportive of the Border corridor of Sligo-Enniskillen-Dundalk, as it is hugely important for the economic development of the region. The last three Border roads will be open by the summer and will allow far more contact and activity, whereas many of the towns and villages were separated for three decades.

On the tax issue, two good things have happened. We will not see a change overnight, as I predicted. I urged the parties not to get into that space on it. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Gordon Brown, indicated in his budget this day last week that he intends to reduce the UK rate of corporation tax from 30% to 28%. That, in itself, is a move in the right direction. More importantly, during the discussions with Mr. Brown last week, to which we contributed, a commitment was made to carry out a review of the different tax rates between North and South. I am pleased about that because that is what we required. Until now, the groups lobbying for this change were talking about it in a general sense.

The economic case needs to be made, as Deputy Kenny said. The huge over-dependence on the public sector is the difficulty, as is recognised now by the political system. The business community in the North has always acknowledged that. There is an enormous imbalance in that regard. I hope the analysis will not bear out the British Government's big fear about making the change. It cannot be compared with Wales or Scotland. That was just not going to happen as a political decision, the case had to be proven by economic analysis. I am pleased about that. It will not just be good for tax, it will also be good to see how we can integrate far more of the economic realities without upsetting people.

I have been advocating co-operation on these issues for a long time, again without creating difficulties. We need the same type of co-operation we have seen in areas like agriculture, fisheries and disease eradication. There is no way we can sort out certain problems without working on an all-island basis. We should try to do so in the health sector, for example. The North has made advances in some areas, just as we have in other areas. It is an ideal issue for co-operation. In the education sector, the universities have been co-operating for the past seven or eight years. Other organisations like the chambers of commerce need to get involved. The trade union movement has always been organised on an all-island basis. We need to focus on the dynamics of trying to get co-operation to work in a way that helps Northern Ireland and the South. Labour market issues will be hugely helpful.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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When the Taoiseach met President Bush in Washington recently, he presented him with a bowl of green shamrock. Does he agree that it might have been more appropriate to present Mr. Bush with a bunch of red clover to symbolise the blood-drenched cataclysm that he and the rest of the US Administration have visited on the unfortunate people of Iraq? The fourth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq was four days after the Taoiseach tipped the cap to Mr. Bush. The recent meeting may have been the Taoiseach's last time, in his current position, to meet Mr. Bush. Did the Taoiseach ask the US President for an explanation of, or an apology for, the utterly fraudulent reason he gave the Taoiseach for the invasion? Did Mr. Bush offer any such explanation or apology? Many of us knew at the time that President Bush's explanation was an exercise in outrageous mendacity, although the Taoiseach professed to believe him.

Did the Taoiseach discuss the future of Iraq with President Bush? Did he ask him to get out of Iraq and to allow the Iraqi people to work out their future without the interference of the US? Did the Taoiseach discuss with Mr. Bush the Government's collaboration in the use by the US of Shannon Airport for troops on their way to participate in the invasion and occupation of Iraq? Did the Taoiseach pledge to continue that collaboration?

Following the Taoiseach's discussions in the United States, what is the current position in respect of the tens of thousands of Irish people who are living in fear of deportation because they do not have the proper papers to stay there? Did the Taoiseach get any new assurances, or any new hope of security, for those Irish men and women who wish to make their lives in the United States on a permanent basis and in peace of mind?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I discussed a range of international issues, including Iraq, with President Bush. The Americans are continuing to work with the elected Government in Iraq to try to bring peace and some harmony to that war-torn area. Certain problems are continuing to this day, unfortunately — a large number of people were killed in Iraq today. I think the US Administration would be glad to be able to finish its mandate in Iraq by leaving a more peaceful society there, but that does not seem likely in the short term. President Bush is of the view that the US is making progress in Iraq and is playing an important role in trying to bring stability to that country. Deputy Higgins knows my view is that the Government did not support the war in its early stages because it did not have a UN mandate. Obviously, when the UN mandate came some time later, we supported the US position.

I met representatives of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform during my recent visit to the United States. The case of the undocumented Irish was one of the key issues I raised with President Bush, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Nancy Pelosi, Mr. Niall O'Dowd of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform and our colleagues in both houses on Capitol Hill. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, keeps in touch with that campaign every week. We have received a great deal of support on this enormously difficult and complex issue, which affects 12 million people, of whom between 25,000 and 30,000 are Irish. The undocumented Irish do not present the biggest difficulty within the overall issue. We need to try to reach agreement or devise some legislative formula that can be moved forward.

Senator Edward Kennedy, who is the leading supporter of immigration reform, is hugely sympathetic to the Irish case. The Bill he is proposing was approved by the Senate judiciary committee last year. Everybody agrees that Senator Kennedy's Bill should be the starting point for a new means of addressing the issue legislatively. He is having direct conversations with President Bush, people on the other side of Congress and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Nancy Pelosi. We are supportive of this initiative and we hope it will be successful. It is an issue of timing. We have to leave it to Senator Kennedy and his supporters to decide when this Bill will be tabled. I suspect that it will be introduced in the next month or two. That will be an important step forward. The support of the White House is needed if this legislative change is to be made. We have the support of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. We certainly need the assistance of those who support Senator Kennedy, who is a senior Senator. A 60-40 vote in the Senate is needed, in effect, if this is to become a reality. Senator Kennedy is the only person who can get the necessary support on the Republican side of the house. The support of the President is also needed. We are trying to work with the three groups to get support for this measure and I think it is possible.