Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I have no difficulty with the proposed Order of Business. Will the Leader of the House send a note of congratulations, on behalf of the House, to Prime Minister Blair on his historic third term? We have not had a chance to meet since the election in the United Kingdom last week. Mr. Blair has won an historic third term for the Labour Party, although reading Sunday's newspapers one might think it was not a victory. Clearly, however, he has a mandate to do many things. One of them, which this country seeks, is to secure a complete conclusion to the peace process and to the outstanding elements in the Good Friday Agreement.

Does the Leader agree that one of the most important figures in unionism since Faulkner and O'Neill was David Trimble? The loss of his seat in Upper Bann is, in many respects, a defeat for the decent middle ground in Northern Irish politics in which people seek to reach out to both communities. David Trimble is a politician who took substantial risks for peace. Despite the difficulties that now pertain in Northern Ireland and the difficult times that lie ahead, the bottom line is that his analysis is the only one through which we can find ultimate peace and the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. I urge both the British and Irish Governments to do everything they can to bring the political situation in Northern Ireland to a head and to ensure the Good Friday Agreement is implemented.

It will be difficult. I recall the words of a former Member of this House, Séamus Mallon, who recently spoke about the Balkanisation of Northern Ireland. We must ensure that the unique political message of the middle ground in Northern Ireland continues to be heard in Northern Ireland and throughout these islands. Both Governments must do everything they can to help that process.

Last Friday, there was a type of Mexican stand-off between the McBreartys and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform about the issue of costs at the tribunal. I have raised this issue previously with the Leader of the House. Will she invite the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to the House to outline the outstanding difficulties? Everybody wishes to see the tribunal work well but this is an urgent matter which should be discussed in the House. Senator O'Toole proposed at the time that the House debate the first report of the tribunal. It seems ridiculous that agreement cannot be reached between the McBrearty legal team and that of the State to bring these matters to a conclusion. I ask the Leader to use her good offices to speak to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform about this issue.