Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

I agree with everything said regarding the International Commission on Decommissioning and congratulate everybody involved. I hope we will not have to wait too long to see the various loyalist paramilitary bodies follow suit.

Will the Leader avail of this opportunity to inform Senators of the Government's current thinking on the future of the Great Southern Hotel Group? The chairman of the Dublin Airport Authority has spoken on several occasions, including recently, on this matter. Members of the House would have seen various press reports on the possible doubling of losses in this regard. The chairman of the authority is saying effectively that it must exit this loss-making business and that it is not part of its core activity. What is the Government's position on this? Is there a clear clash between the Government's thinking on this matter and the board's possible decision? Is it the case that the Government is simply waiting for the political climate to be favourable, so to speak, to permit the board to proceed with a decision which it appears to have already taken? I would like to hear the Leader's view on this matter.

I very much agree with what Senator O'Toole said regarding Dingle. I look forward to moving the Official Languages (Amendment) Bill in our joint names. I hope it will have the support of Senators on the Government side. I am sure all Senators on the opposite side of the Chamber would agree that it is a most basic and democratic right for the people of Dingle to decide on this matter for themselves. I do not see how anyone would want to deprive them of that.