I note in the Taoiseach's response that he states one of the principal reasons for the trip to the United States was the marketing of the financial services centre. In that regard he considers his job to be a job well done. I can only conclude there is less confusion in the United States arising from his trip than there is at present on this island. Will the Taoiseach outline to the House now in what way the media reporting on his visit were encouraged to report that he now favoured a federal solution as envisaged by the New Ireland Forum report? Alternatively, will the Taoiseach outline his view of a federal solution? Has the Taoiseach a strategy for achieving a federal solution? If this is the Taoiseach's ideal would he accept that a proper federal approach requires fundamental constitutional change?

In dealing with those points I will also deal with the points raised by Deputy De Rossa. The best thing I can do is to recommend that Deputies read my speeches. At no time in the United States did I even mention the word "federal" or a federal solution——

Did the press report you wrongly?

I am just stating my position. I never at any stage mentioned a federal solution or used the word "federal", nor did I talk about devolved government in Northern Ireland when in the US. I would ask Deputies to read my speeches.

What do you stand for?

It would be helpful if Deputies would read the four speeches I made over there.

We would love you to make a speech here rather than over there.

Please, Deputy Quinn, the leader of your party has asked a pertinent question, will you let the Taoiseach reply?

Any fair minded person reading those four speeches would accept that they presented a very fair and reasonable picture of recent developments and events in Northern Ireland, particularly since the beginning of this year. They also contain a very clear and specific outline of the Government's policy in regard to Northern Ireland.

A Cheann Comhairle——

Deputy Dukes.

A Cheann Comhairle——

I have called Deputy Dukes.

Will the Taoiseach indicate why at no stage in any of the speeches he made — and I read all of them with some attention, one with a full colour picture of the Taoiseach inside——

Why did the Taoiseach, at no stage——

——during any of those speeches spend any of his time pointing out the role that the Anglo-Irish Agreement would play in bringing about a move towards justice, peace and stability in Northern Ireland?

Hear, hear.

Why, at no stage in those speeches did the Taoiseach indicate what the next step in the process was, and why did he make it clear to any fair minded person reading those speeches that his references to the Anglo-Irish Agreement were just to take the bare look off things?

I can only reject that suggestion by Deputy Dukes. It was not anything near a fair assessment of the thrust of my speeches in America. In fact I would say that in practically everything I said on Northern Ireland I repeated in some detail all the things I have been saying in this House. For instance, with regard to the Anglo-Irish Agreement, I made clear both in my speeches and in press and radio interviews and in converstaions exactly what the position of the Irish Government is in regard to the Anglo-Irish Agreement — that it is in place, fully accepted, and that we are committed to implementing its provisions to secure an improvement in the situation of the people of Northern Ireland, particularly the Nationalist people. I am aggrieved at being attacked on these lines by Deputy Dukes who on one occasion, in an interview on 25 February, told Unionists that they were neglecting one of the strongest points in the agreement and that this was not emphasised enough, that that was the self-destruct mechanism in the agreement. Before Deputy Dukes starts to question me in my operation of the agreement, he should examine whether that is a particularly valid sort of statement to make.

I want to call Deputy Des O'Malley now.

Can I simply ask the Taoiseach, after that clever little quotation——

A brief supplementary.

——on which I must congratulate him, why he——

I am very annoyed——

Order, please.

——did not draw attention to the very feature of the agreement to which I was referring there, which is in fact——

I have called Deputy Des O'Malley.

I have a very brief supplementary to put to the Taoiseach.

So do we, and we have questions down.

There is plenty of time.

Will the Taoiseach say why he himself did not draw attention to that feature which is that as functions are devloved to a devolved administration in Northern Ireland on a basis acceptable to the two traditions there, the intergovernmental conference gradually reduces its scope of operation——

I thought this was to be a brief question.

——and would the Taoiseach not agree that by ignoring those facets of the agreement, he has cast doubt on his own adherence to it?

The Deputy does not do the agreement any service by his continual attempts to undermine our position with regard to the agreement.

I want you to work it.

I am beginning to suspect Deputy Dukes to some extent but Deputy O'Malley to a much greater extent. For them it seems that the agreement only exists in so far as they can use it as a political stick with which to beat this Government.

Rubbish.

That is a dishonest approach. This Government have clearly stated time and again, and I did it again in America, our commitment to the agreement and to the working of the agreement. A further meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference will take place very shortly and everybody agrees that the last meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference was one of the best and one of the most effective ever held.

If the Taoiseach feels so positively about the Anglo-Irish Agreement as he is indicating today, I am delighted, but why did he not express those positive views in the United States and in particular in the course of a very lengthy speech in New York on Northern Ireland and the problems relating to Northern Ireland? There are two brief sentences only in that speech about the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Will the Taoiseach say whether in reports in various newspapers here — in particular the Irish Times of Saturday last in which there was the headline “Haughey suggests federal solution to the North,” and which went on to attribute two sets of remarks to the Taoiseach in that regard — he is entirely misquoted or incorrectly reported in this respect and if the experienced correspondent concerned dreamed up all of this?

I am not in the business of casting doubts on any genuine attempts by journalists to report. They have their own job to do and it is often very difficult. I would just reiterate that at no stage in America or anywhere else have I ever advocated a federal solution for Northern Ireland. Now that we are talking about these matters, I would like if Deputy Des O'Malley would explain to me a remark I heard him making on television when he was up there attending the Alliance conference and when he was asked by a reporter if he would agree with the suspension of the agreement to allow the Unionists to talk. The Deputy's reply was: "I supose it would make it easier, but I am not keen to see it. I would hope that some formula could be arranged." If ever there was ambivalence about the Anglo-Irish Agreement it is in those remarks.

I said it never should be suspended. I have been asked that question many times.

Order, please. I am calling Deputy Dick Spring.

I have been asked that question many times and I have said it should never be suspended.

Order, please. Deputy O'Malley must resume his seat.

One of my principal reasons was that if it was suspended, I would greatly fear that the Taoiseach would not get it back on the tracks.

Were you misquoted?