Don Lydon (Fianna Fail)

I also welcome the Bill. It is short and technical, and as Senator Ryan said, seems to be an amendment to an amendment to an amendment. I am not sure that an international agreement can be amended in this way without returning to the people in a referendum. However, if the legal people say it is acceptable, I suppose it is. Importantly, it will allow funding to continue for cross-Border bodies. As Senator Ryan said, I would like to see some of the money used for the roads network. It is possible to drive on a quality road from here to Cavan or Monaghan, but I will be damned if it is possible to get across to Donegal without another road. I would love to see a main road going right across. There is one such road along the coast, going up to Dundalk. However, there is none going across the Six Counties. As I use this road two or three times a week, I would like to see it improved. It would be wonderful if the Minister of State could exert his influence to have money from the fund used in this way.

This represents another step forward. The jumps Dr. Paisley and Mr. McGuinness have taken since their original standpoints have been phenomenal. The last time I met Dr. Paisley I had my photograph taken with him and he asked why I wanted to meet him. I told him that I wanted to meet the next Taoiseach. He laughed and said it would be a long time coming. At least he might end up being First Minister in the North in a short time — I hope he will and that Martin McGuinness will be Deputy First Minister. If those two people sit at a table and talk to one another it will be a long way from what was happening 20 or 30 years ago, when people were being killed and Dr. Paisley was attacking the Pope.

Rather than look back at what we have gone through, I would like to look forward to where we can go. Senator Mooney said that the Border has gone, which to all intents and purposes is true. It is possible to drive through without coming across customs posts, etc. The Border still exists of course. The North is still a separate country and is part of the United Kingdom. However, there is a way out of this through the Good Friday Agreement and it can be changed by the will of the majority. I hope to God some day that will happen and we will have a fully united country.

I do not know why another election in the North is necessary. The MLAs are in place already and we all know who will be re-elected. If they sat down and worked it, the position would be quite good at this stage. I know the way politics works and it is necessary to give a bit and take a bit, which is what this is all about.

I support the Bill. Most people do not fully appreciate how much cross-Border work is done and do not know these cross-Border bodies exist. When I spoke to people about them, they were amazed at their location. These include the language body, comprising Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster Scots Agency, the Food Safety Promotion Board, etc. I have a slight difficulty with the Ulster Scots Agency, which implies that Ulster Scots is a language; I would say it is a dialect. I have no objection to its carrying on. It is not doing any harm and might be doing considerable good. Waterways Ireland, covering the whole country, is a marvellous body. We need to highlight the good that is done. It is a long haul to where we all hope to get. Small minnows like this come in from time to time and we do not fully realise the impact they have. The Bill will provide the funding for the Special EU Programmes Body to continue its important role. I welcome the Bill and I commend it to the House.