Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

He showed extraordinary courage in demurring from what the Cabinet has said. The report of Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin and the ongoing reservations expressed by the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght mean that we need an independent international review of the decision if we are to ensure we get matters right.

Too much is riding on this. This serious issue concerns not just Dublin. It concerns putting in place a national children's hospital for the next 50 years, the expenditure in respect of which will be €500 million. We must make the decision in the right way and it must be supported by the other hospitals. As long as Ministers and many other members in our community continue to question the suitability of the existing decision, a decision will not be made this side of the next general election. It is crucial that the Government organise an independent international review of its decision sooner rather than later. Will the Minister of State attend the House this week to elucidate on his comments?

There is little point in proceeding to elections in Northern Ireland on 7 March 2007 if the people of the region are not sure whether the Assembly members they elect will be present to carry out their functions during the next five years. I welcome the remarks made yesterday by the leader of the DUP, Dr. Ian Paisley. He gave a clear commitment that he is prepared to enter into a power-sharing government with Sinn Féin. While such clarity at this stage is crucial, it is equally important that Sinn Féin decides to call its Ard-Fheis and commits itself clearly to supporting the new policing dispensation in Northern Ireland. I ask Sinn Féin to do so in January, which is well in advance of the Northern Ireland elections. Last Friday's events at Stormont remind us that dangerous individuals still exist, on both sides of the community in Northern Ireland, who are committed to wrecking the process. We must work to ensure their voice is excluded so that devolved Government, based on power sharing, is restored to Northern Ireland as soon as possible and that the majority moderate community is given the right to express its views through that Government. I welcome Dr. Paisley's comments and hope it leads to Sinn Féin making an early decision on policing.