Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This matter has to be sorted out and we took the only decision available to us.

I am heartened by the many good wishes I have received for Martin McGuinness, both in this House and from all political persuasions, with regard to his speedy recovery.

I want to address the distaste and disdain expressed for hard-line nationalism, which does a real disservice to the good work that has been done in the North. Indeed, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has played a role in that regard. Before Christmas, I met cross-party women’s and youth groups on the issue of domestic violence, from both the nationalist and loyalist sides. This shows the excellent work that is being done. That is not hard-line nationalism. I was in the Short Strand in Belfast the other night where, again, the discussion was around housing and other issues, as well as the DUP’s position and the whole extreme of British nationalism which includes its pro-Brexit stance. While good work is being done, I will not take lectures from a party that will not stand any candidates in the North or go there to work to ensure that the peace process is upheld and everyone prospers.

In case there is any doubt, discussions on the situation in the North take place regularly both on the Order of Business in the Seanad and during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil. My party leader, Deputy Gerry Adams, often uses Taoiseach’s Question Time to encourage and implore the Taoiseach and his Ministers to take a more active role in the North. This is done in a genuine manner because there are many people in the North who look to the Irish Government to protect their rights and defend their interests. As a gesture to our citizens in the North, will the Minister show them that he truly understands the principle of equality by supporting the call for voting rights here for them? I have much more to say around this subject and I have many concerns. I hope this will be the beginning of many sessions we will have here in trying to work together to bring about a special status for the North within the EU. That is the way forward and what we need to do to prevent the hard Border being discussed.