Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the presence of Ambassador Cronin and former Ministers Charlie Flanagan and Noel Dempsey, I would like to wholeheartedly welcome Congressman Neal and all of the distinguished guests that we have here today. We are really proud to have him as a visitor to our shores but I know it is not the first time; he has been here many times. Protecting the peace on our island is such an important issue to all of us, not least to Congressman Neal. We can very easily say that he is a true friend of Ireland and I thank him for his time today.

The Friends of Ireland group is particularly special. It is a bipartisan group, with members from the Democrats and the Republicans. Its members and their forerunners have really demonstrated their love for Ireland and their commitment to maintaining the peace and prosperity that we have enjoyed on this island and that is really important. As the Cathaoirleach mentioned earlier, the group was founded by Senator Ted Kennedy, Senator Daniel Moynihan and Speaker Tip O'Neill. They all famously played their part from Washington in crafting the peace accords that led not only to the Anglo-Irish Agreement but also to the Good Friday Agreement. I cannot tell Congressman Neal how important it is to hear him say that the Good Friday Agreement belongs to America too and does not just belong to Ireland. I thank him for that.

We all know how important and monumental the Good Friday Agreement is, and was, in ending violence and bringing about lasting peace and ultimately in providing hope to our younger generations that the society they would grow up in and raise their families would be much better than heretofore. We are all very familiar with Ms Lisa McGee's enormously successful "Derry Girls", which, I believe, has made its way across the pond, which is great. The final episode aired last week and it focused on the referendum and the Good Friday Agreement. The peace now enjoyed in Northern Ireland was hard fought and was not easily won. Remarkably, through this television series, new generations, including my own children, as well as people in Great Britain, the United States and across the world, are learning just how valuable the peace process was and continues to be. That is why we must ensure it is protected. The importance of defending that peace, as well as the institutions in Northern Ireland can never be overstated. We must all ensure that neither it nor the protocol which preserves its progress are undermined or discarded. In the spirit of those who came before us, people like the late John Hume, David Trimble, President Clinton and George Mitchell, we are really hopeful that progress can be made through dialogue and negotiation.

As we welcome Congressman Neal and his delegation here today, we cannot forget that the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill is going through its second reading in Westminster. That legislation serves absolutely nobody. It is a Bill which refers to reconciliation but it leaves its victims out in the cold. That is a real pity.Neither Congressman Neal nor his colleagues are strangers to these sentiments. He knows what is at stake and knows from his experience what must be done. That is why he is here, as a well and true friend of Ireland. Once again, on behalf of this House and all my colleagues, I thank him for a lifetime of commitment to his former home. He will always be welcome.