Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I, too, would like to be associated with the remarks made about the late former Deputy Peter Matthews. He was a great friend and colleague and always available to give advice when one needed it. Our thoughts are with his family. He was a decent man.

Last night there was a CHAMPevent. The aim is to promote dialogue and co-operation between Deputies, MPs, Lords, Members of the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the National Assembly for Wales. They are needed now more than ever. I say this because I was in London a few weeks ago to attend a London-Irish Construction Network event. The Irish are beginning to mobilise and work together. This is important and something that should have been happened 50, 60 or 70 years ago. Perhaps it is a matter of confidence, but it is something at which we have to look in the context of Brexit and what is happening in the United States. I say this because ironically the British-Irish Chamber of Commerce was only set up in 2011 after the Queen's visit, despite Ireland being the United Kingdom's largest trading partner, with hundreds of thousands of people moving forwards and backwards between the two countries. It is doing great work. On St. Patrick's Day the Taoiseach will be in the United States, while Ministers will be selling Ireland around Europe. They, too, are doing a great job, but there is a role to be played by Senators in representing the country. We do not have to be paid for it. One can book a Ryanair flight to anywhere in Europe for €20 or €30. We are sending Ministers, but there are only so many to go around. Members of the Seanadcould represent the country and could do so on a cross-party basis. We do not want to be paid expenses. We could do it ourselves. We should look at this for the future.