Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

Fáiltím freisin roimh an Taoiseach. Ní gá domsa a rá go bhfuilimíd thar a bheith mórálach as an obair foighneach, stuama, misniúil atá déanta aige ar ár son le roinnt blian anuas. It gives me great pleasure to welcome the Taoiseach. I have no doubt he will go down as one of the great leaders of this nation on account of the magnanimity he has shown and his endeavours at all times to understand both traditions on the island by working in a very focused way to leave behind us history and all that it entails. Once the Good Friday Agreement was signed, we also left behind us the weighing scales syndrome of blame, to which it would not behove us to return.

A few months ago a delegation from the Orange tradition travelled south to have discussions with me. They said they were particularly worried for their own traditions because, during the 30 years of the troubles, young people of the Orange Order and their supporters did not embrace their traditions. On the Nationalist side, however, young people seemed to be much more proactive with regard to their traditions. If it is possible for us at this stage to talk about Orange traditions being decimated or sidelined, we should also be generous in listening and trying to see if we can be magnanimous in that regard.

It gives me great hope that the sovereign Governments of the United Kingdom and the Republic can trust each other, as is now the case. No wedge should be driven where that trust is concerned. Anybody who provokes a return to where we have come from will not be thanked by any future generation. Reference has been made to people sitting down with Sinn Féin despite that party's background. It is also noteworthy that republicans sat down with those who had worked very closely with the B-Specials, the partisan police force of the RUC and the clandestine operations of the British Army. Any return to apportioning blame would be totally negative and unproductive.

I hope the upcoming elections in the North will not result in the different traditions looking over their shoulders at their respective supporters, as I believe Mr. Trimble did in his comments about the Republic. Stepping out of line in that way is not helpful. A letter writer to one of the daily newspapers commented that if Mr. Trimble had referred in similar fashion to Israel, he would have provoked an international outcry. Why should he make such statements about this country, having regard to our very proactive endeavours to achieve a lasting solution on the island?

All political parties right across the board deserve credit for the peace process, both in the Republic and the North of Ireland. The greatest contribution we can make is to ensure we do not in any way fragment the cohesive approach we have had and cultivate it at every opportunity. It is my hope that, in 2003, peace will be firmly and totally established on the island and that justice will no longer be tempered by political expediency.