Dan Boyle (Green Party)

I welcome the Taoiseach to the House. Today's statements are informed by the events of yesterday evening. The events are disappointing and still have a capacity to shock. There was a time when the events of last night were an everyday occurrence in the North. The sense of hopelessness and despair at that time generated indifference such that there would have been no shock in respect of last night's events. That violence born of hatred still occurs implies we have a responsibility to build bridges to ensure it occurs less frequently. This is a challenge for the political system as a whole and the Government is rising to it.

The journey we have made has been amazing. The Taoiseach, in his opening contribution, referred to the infrastructure by which co-operation is being enhanced on this island and between islands. The success of the North-South Ministerial Council, the work of the British-Irish Council and the existence of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body are a case in point. The latter comprises representatives of all political parties from all parliamentary forums on these islands. The work being done is very valuable and the work that needs to be done necessitates involving non-governmental organisations and community groups and winning the hearts and minds of the people. It is a question of bedding down the peace process in the coming years.

The Taoiseach is correct in stating bedding down the peace process has an economic dimension, especially in the times in which we live. We must constantly examine how the economic relationship with the North can be developed. There are obvious difficulties in that the two jurisdictions have different currencies and rates of corporation and other taxes. We should work to overcome these obstacles. There are natural economic hinterlands we should be trying to exploit and turn into enterprise zones. I refer to the relationships that exist between Dundalk and Newry, Letterkenny and Derry, Sligo and Enniskillen, and Monaghan and Armagh. If there is a job for us to do in trying to restructure our own economy, it is mutually beneficial to examine cross-Border economic relationships because doing so will bear fruit.

We can already point to some significant areas of success that will assist with the types of economic developments to which I refer. The work being done at Strangford Lough under the auspices of the ESB and its partners in respect of renewable energy demonstrates exactly what can be achieved mutually, both economically and environmentally.

One of the real successes associated with the ongoing work between the various political representatives on this island is that where disagreements occur, they occur not so much on constitutional issues but on issues of political policy. I was particularly pleased with the appointment of a new Minister of the Environment in the Northern Ireland Assembly because the views of his predecessor on environmental policy do not coincide with those of many others. However, that we differ only on this type of issue demonstrates the success of where we are going as a people on this island.

My party is organised on an all-island basis. There is a distinction between being organised on an all-island basis and an all-Ireland basis. Our sole representative in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr. Brian Wilson, represents the constituency of North Down and most of his constituents define their identity in terms of their Britishness. Our agreements on trying to make progress with regard to common purpose on this island, be it the Belfast agreement or the St. Andrews Agreement, must give due recognition to people's identities, how they are valued and how we can share them as we proceed.

Despite the fact that we will see more events such as those of last night, they will occur less frequently and the prognosis is optimistic. The work of all public representatives on all parts of this island, with the cooperation of our colleagues on the neighbouring island, shows that this process is going in the right direction and achieving success. I am confident the Taoiseach and the Government will help to bring it to its next level. I value the opportunity to mark that progress in this House today.