Aontaímid go léir go bhfuil turas Uachtarán na hÉireann chuig Sasana an tseachtain seo tábhachtach agus stairiúil. Táimid uilig an-bhródúil as an Uachtarán agus an bheirt bhan a bhí san oifig sin roimhe seo. We all acknowledge this week's State visit, which has taken 93 years to agree, was made possible because of the peace process and Good Friday Agreement. We also know this is part of a journey and much more needs to be done on the ground in the North and between both parts of the Ireland, particularly with the issue of rights. There are great possibilities and much potential in all of this, which needs focus and commitment from everybody. All identities across the island, whether Irish, British or other, must be given respect on the basis of equality.

The participation of Mr. Martin McGuinness is another sign of positive commitment by Irish republicans to engagement with our Unionist neighbours - she represents all the people in the North - and a new relationship with Britain based on equality and mutual respect. This is all very much work in progress and the State visit should be an incentive for us to look beyond this week to build the peace and continue this journey to finish our unfinished business. Does the Taoiseach agree the occasion of this week's State visit, which is wonderful in itself, should also focus minds on the need for political leaders to resolve all the outstanding issues in the peace process?

Yes, I do, and I do not underestimate the importance of the significance - symbolically or practically - of the first State visit by an Irish President to Britain since the foundation of the State. President Higgins will fulfil his duties admirably and set out in his own unique fashion the range of historical, academic, educational, social and cultural connections between the people on the two islands. This goes back to the point raised by the Deputy about whither the peace process. I am reminded of the words of former US President Clinton in Derry when he said we had to finish the job. The five groups in Northern Ireland party to the Haass talks must get to grips with a position where young people in Northern Ireland have found the political process is a blockage to the future, as it is tied to the past in a way in which it will not let go. We all understand it is not right and proper to forget what happened in the past but there is a way of dealing with it.

I expect the President, in his comments and engagement with the Irish diaspora over the next few days, to set out in his own unique way another platform by which this engagement can take place. It was in July 1593 go ndeachaigh Gráinne Ní Mháille thall go Londain ag caint le Banríon Éilís a hAon. Ní i mBéarla nó i nGaeilge a bhíodar ag caint, ach i Laidin. A second formidable personality from the west of Ireland was the first to make the connection in Buckingham Palace and there was a third formidable personality in the form of former President McAleese. This is an occasion for everybody to reflect on where we can go from here.

Perhaps it is a pity the Deputy First Minister did not visit Dublin Castle when the Queen was here just a couple of years ago. I do not want to sound a discordant note but the importance of the issue then was equal to now. In any event I hope the occasion in Britain will be outstanding for the Irish diaspora and people, as well as the connection between our two people and Governments. I noted Deputy First Minister McGuinness's comments about being invited to the Queen's house. It is some house.

Ná déan dearmad faoi Mary Robinson fosta. Rinne sí obair thábhachtach mar Uachtarán. Nuair a bhí an Taoiseach ag caint faoi Ghráinne Mhaol, agus nuair a luaigh sé an focal "maol", bhí mé ag amharc ar an Aire Airgeadais. Nílim ach ag magadh anois. Gabhaim leithscéal.

Táim ag ruaig air.

Tá fhios agam. We need to celebrate peace on the streets as well as in the big houses and palaces. It needs to be felt in loyalist hinterlands and republican communities. It needs to be felt along the Border corridor. This is a journey and, uniquely, there is an all-island dimension to this, with Mr. Peter Robinson, Mr. McGuinness, an tUachtarán and the Taoiseach having been there. That is essential. Many times, when commentators in this State speak about the nation, they mean the Twenty-six Counties. When they speak about "nationally", they mean across the Twenty-six Counties and when they speak about Ireland, they mean the Twenty-six Counties. We need to think in an all-island way, and when I looked to frame this question, I wanted to do it in a way that considered the possibilities of which a Government here could avail.

The Taoiseach should forget about the British. What can the Government do to seize and build on these opportunities? There is a series of initiatives that could have a real impact on communities in the North and along the Border corridor. I am 100% sure the President and Sabina and all of our other representatives will do us proud this week. We should, however, consider the potential and possibilities beyond this week and build on them. Let us remind ourselves that it took 93 years to put this visit together. It did not take Martin McGuinness 93 years to do it, rather it took the State and the British Government 93 years to put it together. Does the Taoiseach agree that the real significance of this state visit will be realised in a lasting way only if we continue to build the peace, transform and complete the journey we are all on?

I agree that it is a journey everybody is on. I also agree that this is an opportunity to take another step forward. It might be a very good idea if everybody could get together and say Dr. Haass made genuine attempts to move the process forward and ask could we not come to agreements on a range of issues about the past, parades and flags. As I have said before to the Deputy, when one meets the people from Ballymurphy, one taps into the reservoir of raw emotion because the matter was never concluded. When one talks to the survivors of the Kingsmills massacre, there is the same emotion for people on the island of Ireland who feel the issue has never been satisfactorily concluded in the sense of finding out what happened. I have also said on many occasions to the Deputy that there is the question of the families of the disappeared who have not had closure.

Everybody could take from the visit of President Higgins to Britain an opportunity to reflect again on what we could do for young people, North and South, who would see the excitement of being able to conclude issues arising from the past and look forward to the adventure of the future. Politicians have that responsibility; that is what they were elected to do. The Government will work tooth and nail to bring about that sort of understanding, but we cannot forget about the British, with whom we have a very close, unprecedented relationship, through economics, business and in many other ways. The Good Friday Agreement speaks for itself. We need to move to have it concluded and fully implemented, with the Weston Park agreement, and deal with the other issues that affect people every day of their lives in fragile communities on either side. I hope that from this will come an opportunity to move the process forward.

The Deputy cannot blame the Government of the Republic for everything.

I am not blaming anyone.

The responsibility is shared between governments and peoples. I again refer to what former President Clinton said in Derry: “I came here 20 years ago. I am back again. Finish the job.” The job can only be finished by the politicians, the elected leaders of the people across the spectrum, and this requires understanding, tolerance, compromise and a capacity to say, "I might not have got everything I looked for, but let us move on." I hope the President’s visit to the house of the Queen today and in the next few days and his engagement with the Irish diaspora will bring about a new understanding of what we can achieve together.