Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I must join the senior Senator from County Kerry in congratulating the Kerry Group, as well as the Senator himself and all those who have invested so wisely. Members will be aware that talks are ongoing at present under the auspices of Mr. Kieran Mulvey to try to rescue the Croke Park agreement. It is the fervent wish of everyone in this House that these talks will come to fruition because industrial stability will be vital to the ongoing economic recovery, as the alternative is too awful to contemplate. In that respect, I compliment David Begg, general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, who issued what I regard as being a remarkably conciliatory statement over the weekend. Members may have heard him being interviewed on a Sunday radio news programme and that was the tone we need. Moreover, the old Irish seanfhocal, "Is binn béal ina thost", applies to the other side and I welcome the temporary silence of the Minister for Howlin, which is a great relief because he certainly was very ham-fisted in his attempts to bully the unions in the previous talks. I hope I am not deluding myself but I believe the signs are good. I ask the Leader to convey the good wishes of the Seanad to all sides in the talks in the hope they will be successful. I also second the amendment proposed by Senator MacSharry.