Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will not be the last to make reference to it, but I welcome the Windsor agreement on the Northern Ireland protocol. It is phenomenally good news. As has been recognised in the past 24 hours by the chambers of commerce and the business sector in Northern Ireland, this agreement offers the potential for Northern Ireland to prosper economically and socially. Northern Ireland will be able to enjoy the best of its normal trading relationship with the UK and the advantages of the EU Single Market. That is huge. Related, and more important, is that the agreement offers the potential for normal governance in the running of Northern Ireland. Devolved local government can resume. A functioning government can now be set up.

It will be a challenge for unionism to show leadership in this area. All we can do is appeal to them and let them know that the painstaking efforts to achieve this agreement arose from a genuine wish on the part of those on this section of the island, across Europe and the UK to accommodate the needs of unionism.That has been implicit in all of the negotiations. There is nothing here that is sinister or threatening to the unionist community. I would like the Leader, in her summary, to consider a unified approach from the House to this. Maybe we could have a further discussion on it but I ask the Leader to declare that we all support the agreement, welcome it and appeal to unionism to take it in good faith, to work with it and to re-establish governance.

In the time remaining, I wish to raise a practical, local issue that was raised by my colleague in the other house, Deputy Cannon, namely, the possibility of extending the Croí Cónaithe scheme, which provides grant aid to refurbish derelict properties, to those who would potentially rent out the premises. When I mentioned this to a learned colleague who is sitting in the Chamber at the moment, he pointed out it might have taxation implications. That should be looked at. The issue is that if one were renting, one would get a tax allowance but under this scheme, one would get a grant but there can be a reconciliation here. We should look at look at making the Croí Cónaithe scheme available in all situations in order to achieve occupancy and use of houses. If anything can be achieved in that regard, it should be done.