Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I echo Senator Quinn's sentiments in his message to the electorate, which he put better than I could. He is a man of great business acumen, and if his call is heeded, we will ensure that this economy's success continues for many decades.

I will also refer to Senator Norris's remarks that in some way the Taoiseach's address to the joint sitting of the House of Commons and the House of Lords might bring some political advantage at home. I very much doubt that, since so many domestic issues will arise in the course of the campaign that they will provide the primary focus for the electorate. However, if the Senator is right and there is an electoral gain, no one deserves that more than the Taoiseach. During my ten years in these Houses, like many other Members, I have been very impressed by his absolute commitment to engaging with all sides in Northern Ireland to safeguard the peace process and ensure that the rapprochement between the two parts of the island was put on a firm footing. In the lead-up to the Good Friday Agreement, a time of personal difficulty, he regarded those objectives so highly that he placed their attainment above the trauma of the death of his mother.

All sides of the House, and everyone of goodwill, will applaud the British Prime Minister's recognition of that. The good relations that now exist between the two islands are very much vested in the personalities of Deputy Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair. If I have a regret, it is that the Oireachtas has not acted on recommendations contained in reports of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights regarding certain atrocities, particularly those involving collusion on the part of the British security forces. I hope that when the incoming Dáil and Seanad are in place, those recommendations will be acted on and pursued. We owe that to the victims but also to ourselves and to our country's sovereignty.

I concur with Members' comments thanking the Cathaoirleach, his predecessor, the Leader, the Deputy Leader, the Whip and Deputy Whip, the Clerk of the Seanad and all their staff for the tremendous contribution that they have made to the success of this outgoing Seanad. I wish all my colleagues a safe and successful election campaign.