Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

The Unionist community has a particular interest in the waterways in Northern Ireland. The two jurisdictions have pooled a fantastic physical resource in a common interest. The Erne-Shannon Waterway has revitalised a whole region. The lift this has given the Leitrim and Enniskillen region is incredible. I would like to be the Minister who would initiate the process of restoring the Ulster Canal. However, that will not be possible until there is devolution in Northern Ireland.

We are 11 years on from the ceasefire, and for the first time in our history Britain has made it absolutely clear that as long as we sort out our problems among ourselves, it will be happy. This is a unique situation but for some historic reason, which in my view is not compatible with true republicanism or the whole theory of Wolfe Tone, equality and sharing, people cannot reach out and make the final gesture that would set the process in motion. This breaks my heart. Whatever problems the Unionist community has in co-operating with the rest of the island, I agree with Senator Mansergh that this has reduced dramatically in recent years. We saw some evidence of this in the recent election debate in Northern Ireland.

Utilising our waterways is one issue on which the communities in Northern Ireland and in the South agree. It would be marvellous to get into a boat either in Dublin or Limerick, travel through the canals, into the Shannon, up to Lough Neagh and out to the sea. It would be a real sign of North-South co-operation. We should examine the rejuvenation of the Ballyconnell Canal, which is now the Shannon-Erne Waterway. We are always talking about the damage the Border did to the Border counties, but this is one project that would totally rejuvenate these areas. Please God, following today's election, whatever the results, we can get back to the serious business of politics, which is about bringing together the people of the two parts of Ireland and exploiting the huge potential in the Good Friday Agreement for the benefit of all the people of Ireland, particularly those who live around the Border counties, North and South. Democracy is about the people speaking and then accepting and working with the result. None of us has a right to say that the people were wrong. Democracy is about accepting the result of any election.

I commend the Bill to the House. I am pleased there appears to be agreement on the taking of Second Stage.