Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for his indulgence. My question relates to Senator Paul Coghlan's comments, the sentiments of which I share, on the meeting of the Taoiseach with Ms Angela Merkel in Germany and to the references made by Senator Quinn and others to the euro crisis. I believe it is vitally important to keep this issue on the agenda and in that context, I ask the Leader to convey to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Deenihan, my commendation of a series of articles in The Irish Times on Germany. Yesterday's excellent article referred to the impact Irish cultural activity has had and continues to have in Germany. The article paid a warm tribute to the consular officials in the Irish Embassy in Berlin, who had turned around an attitude in Germany of not wishing to bail out a country it was considered had gone on a party. The aforementioned officials had turned around this sentiment and there now was a real understanding and recognition that Ireland was not Greece, Italy, Spain or Portugal. Moreover, this was achieved through the cultural activities that continued to take place in Germany.

I ask the Leader to convey to Mr. Eugene Downes, who is chief executive of Culture Ireland and who has headed Imagine Ireland, a concept that has been expanding Irish culture into America in recent years, the possibility of expanding its activities into Germany. The name of Ireland in Germany unquestionably is very positive at present and it will be important to take advantage of that sentiment in light of the Taoiseach's meeting with Ms Merkel. After all, it is Germany that will make the ultimate decisions on our future, whether we like it or not.