Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, support the motion and agree fully with Senators Byrne and Bradford. Last Friday week, the North-South parliamentary body met in this Chamber for the first time, chaired jointly by the Ceann Comhairle and the Speaker from Stormont. I gather the meeting of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly yesterday was a great success, and I met people returning from it in the foyer downstairs who were full of enthusiasm. It is necessary to move on to those new periods of better relations than ever between North and South and east and west and to grant Judge Smithwick the extension of time to investigate the evidence of a heinous crime that is still horrible 23 years later. It is to be hoped he can draw the work to a conclusion soon in order that we can all participate even further in better relations between North and South and between east and west.