Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

I endorse everything the Leader, Senator O'Rourke, has said on the British-Irish body. I thank her for her kind acknowledgement of my presence in London last week. It was a significant occasion in the sense that we were there as parliamentarians from the sovereign Irish Parliament with our colleagues and friends from the sovereign British Parliament at the beginning of a discussion on the Bill which, it is hoped, will lead to the resumption of the institutions and a new era of peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland. I echo the Leader's comments that we hope a new dawn is about to emerge in that troubled part of the island of Ireland.

Like all Members I compliment the leader of the DUP, Dr. Ian Paisley, who, like all political leaders, has difficulties within his party on issues of policy from time to time. This is a basic policy issue for the DUP. I never thought I would say in the Irish Parliament that I not only respect but admire the political leadership he has shown over recent days——