Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Bill. While it may be brief and not the most exciting Anglo-Irish legislation, it is vital legislation which I support. The most important development in Northern Ireland in the past decade has been increased prosperity through trade. Once trade is revived and prosperity increases, there comes a growing demand across the spectrum for political progress and the establishment of political structures. Business people, community leaders and citizens in Northern Ireland are leading the drive for political progress. If we can help in creating further economic development in Northern Ireland, it will put a greater onus on politicians to deliver the endgame of the peace process and to have the political structures up and running as quickly as possible. Delivery of the peace, prosperity and political dividends runs side by side. When trying to sell political structures and a political routemap to the people of Northern Ireland, it is important they see the economic dividend.

Sadly for the people of Northern Ireland, they never really had normality. It is not just about political structures, but having reasonable economic prospects, growth and expansion. The INTERREG and PEACE programmes are dynamic and help in the building of that normality. The Minister of State stated 6,000 projects benefitted from the €868 million spent on the PEACE programme. This represents a large number of projects and communities being touched by the programme. I understand the Minister of State referred to INTERREG of €182 million. It is another example of money making a real difference to people's lives. It will create the normality the people of Northern Ireland are crying out for.

This necessary Bill will allow the continuation and expansion of these programmes. In the Anglo-Irish debate, the North-South, strand 2 dimension is often seen as the least exciting. Excellent work has been done by bodies such as the Food Safety Promotion Board, InterTradeIreland and Waterways Ireland. All have played their part in developing the normality I referred to earlier.

It is important that the House welcomes the progress made with the St. Andrews Agreement and the further steps taken in the past week. The participants must be encouraged to see the big prize at the end of what has been a puzzle to some. I do not like to use terms such as "final settlement" or "perfect solution". In Northern Ireland, where people hold different viewpoints, the idea of one result being the endgame can be dangerous. The next step is to have the institutions up and running and the Northern parties co-operating.

I welcome the indications given by Dr. Paisley in recent days that if certain agreements in policing and justice are met by Sinn Féin, he will be willing to do political business. When we think of from where we have come in 30 years, it is extraordinary that we have reached this stage in the political process. I welcome Sinn Féin becoming involved in policing and justice. We must encourage the party to take the necessary steps in this regard because there will be difficulties for it in bringing some of its people on board. That is what political leadership is about.

The prize for the people of Northern Ireland is too great for there to be any further unnecessary delays. We hope to see progress over the next few weeks such that the political institutions will be up and running by early spring. If the institutions can be re-established and the Northern political parties take up the leadership of their own province, it is important that the programmes we are discussing, and which this legislation is designed to promote and defend are available. It is important to have economic development side by side with proper, fair and balanced, political structures, to create day-to-day normality for the people of Northern Ireland. Their experience should be no different from that of people in the Republic of Ireland or in Great Britain.

I welcome this legislation, which I am sure this House will pass this afternoon. I also welcome the St. Andrews Agreement and compliment the two Governments on achieving it. The agreement has not moved as quickly as we would have wished but in the context of Northern Ireland a short pause for further reflection, and extra effort in trying to bring all strands on side, may be more effective in the long run than rushed or forced solutions. We are beginning to see a new dawn of realism in the leadership of the DUP and Sinn Féin and a new indication of willingness to compromise and keep the interests of all the people of Northern Ireland at the forefront of their thoughts. I wish the Bill and the broader peace process well.

Of all the issues that we debate and argue in this House none is more important than Northern Ireland. The tragedy of that province not just over the past 30 years but over the past 70 or 80 years, with the loss of life, hope and families, is horrific. Just as the new generation of people and politicians here remember nothing but the Celtic tiger, there are too many people on this island who do not remember how awful life was in Northern Ireland even 15 or 20 years ago. We must ensure that there is no going back. Legislation such as we are putting in place and programmes to help the economy play a key role.