Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I know from talking to a number of Unionists that they feel there is much to be gained from closer co-operation with this jurisdiction. I hope the North-South bodies will be strengthened. I regret that during the final hours of the 1998 negotiations, they were watered down so that they would apply to areas in which they would have less impact. I would like to think that would be corrected at some stage in all our interests. As Members of the Oireachtas, we should honour the memory of the founding fathers of this State, from whom we take our lead, by working to the best of ability to build links with Northern Ireland. We owe it to our founding fathers to develop programmes of twinning, cultural exchange and economic co-operation to fulfil the dreams and aspirations they had for this island. We now have a platform from which to do that.