- Mr President, I would like to thank President Hänsch for his speech two weeks ago, acknowledging the importance of the peace process in Ireland to the European Union generally and to this Parliament in particular. As an Irishwoman born in the north who has seen and experienced the grief and misery caused by this conflict in Belfast and elsewhere, I request Parliament to congratulate the peace makers, and in particular a distinguished member of this Assembly, John Hume, for his courage in advancing the Hume/Adams dialogue, leading to the acceptance by the UK Government that the people of Ireland must decide themselves their own political future, the Irish Republican movement's rejection of violence and terror as a means of uniting Ireland, and its acceptance of a peaceful and democratic progress towards an agreed solution.

I ask Parliament to grasp the opportunity to support the peace process in Ireland in a manner that respects all cultures and traditions; and I would request particularly that Parliament support educational, youth and community projects aimed at building a mutually tolerant society in Ireland. With regard to the Commission's reference to interregional and trans-frontier projects, I ask in particular that Parliament support interregional projects and cross-border projects that will build peace within Ireland, and I refer particularly to measures in support of European routes throughout Ireland. In parts of Northern Ireland the route between Belfast and Dublin is classified as a local road. It is not acceptable within our great European Union that a road linking two major cities on the island should be classified as a local road. I ask Parliament to support trans-frontier and interregional projects to upgrade inter-border connections.

I ask Parliament to specify that the role of any assistance is not to impose any constitutional solution, but to use its impartial and benign influence, as a Union to which both the UK and Ireland owe allegiance, to facilitate debate and assist the progress towards peace.

(Applause)