Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Bill and the Minister of State. It is a technical Bill because it gives domestic legal effect to the exchange of letters but if that was all there was to be said it would be sterile. It is not, however, sterile because it allows the continuation of the Special European Union Programmes Body, SEUPB, under another name. Those programmes have made a great difference to life in the Border counties and in the North, and to North-South relations. Apart from the moneys handsomely given and gratefully received, they had a beneficial effect on small businesses, unemployment and many other matters.

I am involved in a programme to bring together women from the Border counties and the North which has received special funding under the EU programmes. Over the past four years I have gone to the North approximately 12 times because the women are receiving special training. They hope the funding and training will continue. On the first occasion I travelled by train and did so again on some subsequent occasions and was struck by the easy camaraderie which had developed between the women from the Border counties and those from the North.

I was there earlier this month and was struck again by how women can quickly transcend what are perceived as boundaries between people. Comhrá na mban works a treat, when women get together, be it in County Galway, Westmeath, Monaghan, Belfast or Derry. They can be at one in their conversation. I can vouch for how that money is being spent and is effecting a great change. People from different counties who would never have dreamt of meeting or had the opportunity to meet are suddenly great friends and make arrangements to meet again for their training.

One cannot talk about this without talking about the North in general. I agree with Senator Bradford when he says that of all the issues we discuss here whether in a minor or major way and regardless of the differing points of view expressed, the North always invokes consensus. I am satisfied that Dr. Paisley who had gone some of the way in the preceding days but faltered at the last jump, took that jump last week. It was not exactly a volte face but on the Order of Business here we praised his courage. While harsh reality may have forced him into the decision we do not mind because it happened. Suddenly "Dr. No" was able to become "Dr. Yes" which was a significant transformation. The matter must have been difficult for many of his party supporters who had spent their lives working to a certain agenda and who must now work to another agenda. If all other conditions are followed and if the election follows on 7 March the St. Andrews Agreement will have been worked through

The Latin tag, festina lente, make haste slowly, often holds true because an accelerated approach would never have worked. While on many occasions we may have felt impatient as the various agreements and meetings came and went, and various castles were purloined for the meetings, and used effectively, they did mark a short step forward. It sometimes seemed to be a case of one step forward, two steps back but that was never really so because the engagement continued between officials and the parties who often appeared to be a great distance apart.

I praise the officials from all quarters who have dealt with Northern matters, North-South matters and the British Irish Interparliamentary Body, which has worked remarkably well. Senator Mooney and I and a few others were in London last week. I understood that neither the Fine Gael nor Labour members could go. It was most worthwhile to see in operation what was being done in the name of that body. Many people and groups have made an input into the process and often the working out of such a process is like fitting all the pieces of a jigsaw together. The British-Irish Interparliamentary Body is doing that, particularly through its committees, such as committee D which considers long-term Irish emigrants to the United Kingdom, how they live and what difficulties they encounter. It is extremely fulfilling especially when one realises this has come about because of the Good Friday Agreement and other such issues.

Returning to the Bill, when we were in London last week the corresponding Bill was going through the House of Commons. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Peter Hain, was responsible for it. The debate on the Bill was interesting. As the Bill was going through the House of Commons we were in committee rooms in the same building discussing one of the outcomes of the Good Friday Agreement.

Every agreement is a step forward. The omens look good for what will, I hope, be the resolution of the process in March. I accept we previously stated that and the dawn that broke then was replaced by a murky twilight. I will cross my fingers and place my trust in all involved in the process that on this occasion there will be a good conclusion to the St. Andrews Agreement. It is almost ten years since the Good Friday Agreement was reached. I recall the elation that swept the land on that occasion and the referenda that followed. We must not forget the horror, devastation, loss of life, cruelty, maiming and injury that went on in the dark years. We never want to see them again.

I welcome the Bill and thank the Minister of State for the briefing notes. The Bill is a positive one allowing for the funding arrangements that were in place to continue and to make the exchange of letters an international agreement in legal terms.