David Norris (Independent)

I also welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, to the House and ask that some of the salient points of our discussion be passed directly to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I compliment him and his officials on their doggedness and determination in continuing when faced with an extremely difficult set of circumstances and start by making a few positive points.

I agree with much of what Senator O'Toole said about the parties in the Assembly not always having to be nannied and have the pieces picked up for them. I had a meeting with the Taoiseach last week about a totally different issue at the end of which I said I would not be too worried by current events because the inevitable outcome of an election would be polarisation. The principal party on the Unionist side would be the DUP and, on the other, the Sinn Féin crowd and they would soon start to deal with each other. This could be the most positive thing that ever happened because they would have to take responsibility, which is very significant. I would like to see elections as soon as possible and the reality in Northern Ireland reflected in its Parliament. We are trying to massage the process because we do not like the bully boys on either side when, by virtue of the ballot, we are stuck with them. Let us not pick up the pieces, let us face them with the reality of their own posturing and let them get on with it.

Ministers on both sides have done damn well. Bairbre de Brún is a remarkable Minister. I saw her interviewed on television and, like all Sinn Féin people, she is a mistress of evasion, but she gave some damn good answers and was clearly on the ball. Nigel Dodds has been a good Minister, as has Peter Robinson, a poisonous man who has been extremely efficient. We may not want them on a personal level, but let us get them back into a scenario where they have to work together.