Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

When the Good Friday Agreement was negotiated and endorsed in 1998 by the Irish people on both parts of this island, it was hoped reconciliation between green and orange could be achieved through the working together, particularly in Northern Ireland, of people who had been in conflict with each other for many years. I recognise on today's Order of Business the historic — there is no other word one can use to describe it — agreement yesterday between Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party.

The advantages of this agreement are that we have absolute certainty that the powersharing executive will be restored on 8 May 2007 and that the work of the assembly can continue. The great advantage is that it was brokered between the two parties. It was brokered between very significant people like Mr. Peter Robinson, MLA, and Mr. Martin McGuinness, MLA, who come from two very different sides of the political equation. This agreement bodes well for the future and our role in this House and that of Irish democracy is to support that process and wish it well.

We all have a duty to recognise there are more than just two parties in Northern Ireland and that the role played by the SDLP, the Ulster Unionist Party, the Alliance Party, the Progressive Unionist Party and Independents is also important in the new assembly. We hope this new agreement will allow the Executive and Assembly to be put back together, reformed and established and that it is the start of a new beginning in Northern Ireland to which those of us in Dublin and London will give full support in the days and weeks ahead.

I will briefly raise the issue of the appalling carnage we saw on the M9 and M7 this morning. We hope there are no fatalities from this terrible scene where I understand 40 collisions occurred. People are still being brought to hospital. It is appalling. It is important that we determine from this whether it is possible to find adjustable speed limits on our motorways. Of course, motorists must show restraint, particularly where fog emerges, but we also need better information for drivers and adjustable speed limits. I ask the Leader to bring this point to the attention of the Minister for Transport because the scene in County Kildare, which we have watched on television or heard about on the radio today, is deplorable and we need to reflect on that.