Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A Friday evening in winter. For many, the end of the working week. In the city of light, Parisians got ready for the weekend. They went home to pick up their children for the match, or met friends for a night out at Bataclan, or called into La Belle Equipe or Le Carillon for a quick bite, a beer or a well-deserved pastis. Back in 1307, almost to the month, the Knights Templar were arrested, interrogated, tortured and charged with heresy. Seven hundred and eight years on, in the particular blue - the cobalt blue - of an evening in Paris, ordinary yet extraordinary men and women, so many of them young, paid with their lives, their futures, for another kind of religious fear and loathing. A fear and loathing that has nothing to do with any God or any faith. Its expression in Paris, and in other parts of Europe and the world, is proof of the observation of Voltaire that those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.

It is on Boulevard Voltaire, on Rue Alibert, on Rue de Charonne and at the Stade de France that those absurdities and atrocities changed not only the existence of the 129 dead and 352 injured but of all those who knew and loved them, who had given them a past and had hoped to share with them a future. They rendered a city and a continent speechless - silence, perhaps, being the only adequate response to something so crazed, so mutilating, so annihilating. Silence, perhaps, being the only place in which we could find and re-establish our co-ordinates as human beings, sharing the same human condition, the same inhuman world. On Friday, in the slipstream of young life, lived with such joy and love, came death. Anathema to families, to futures, to the idea of a decent and civil and civilised society. We think of them and their loved ones today. On behalf of the Government and people of Ireland, I extend our deepest sympathies. Go ndéanfaidh Dia trócaire orthu ar fad.

My thoughts are also with the hundreds of people who were injured in Friday's attacks, many critically. They include an Irish citizen, who is receiving assistance through our embassy in Paris. I also extend my sympathy to President Hollande and to the people of France, especially those who call Ireland their home. We recognise and share in your grief at this time. Yesterday, at Cashin Print in Castlebar, I, along with others, observed a minute's silence in respect of those who died. These were ordinary workers, ordinary people, ordinary family members, just like those in Paris. In January, I walked in Paris with President Hollande and other EU and world leaders after the devastating Charlie Hebdoattacks. I repeat now what I said then, namely, that we offer France our total solidarity and support.

The ties that bind our two countries are strong, long-standing and unwavering. Our shared democratic values and the shared way of life we treasure will not bend in the face of terrorism. We believe in respect and tolerance. Respect and tolerance are not weaknesses. We remain resilient and we draw strength from our values and our way of life. We believe in solidarity, togetherness and freedom. These acts of violence are a betrayal of any sense of religion or goodness. They are an absolute betrayal of the common humanity of man. This barbarity will not be allowed to triumph over civilisation. These attacks must be seen for what they are, as an assault on the fundamental values that are held dear, not only in France but in Ireland and throughout Europe and the democratic world. We remain steadfast and united in our determination to counter the threat posed by global terrorism and all forms of radicalism that have at their heart the desire and intention to divide, dismantle and destroy.

We are also clear that the terrible crimes of a small number of extremists, such as we have seen in Paris and indeed elsewhere, do not reflect the views of the Muslim community, either in this country or in other states, and do not represent the honourable decent people who are going about their daily lives and are equally appalled by Friday's attacks. We know from our own experience in this country that this will be a difficult time for them. Our response will be guided by the measures and priorities agreed by EU leaders earlier this year, measures to ensure the security of our citizens, prevent radicalisation, safeguard our values and, most importantly, bring the perpetrators of these terrible acts to justice. In that regard, an emergency meeting of the European Union's Justice and Home Affairs Ministers has been convened for Friday of this week. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, will represent the Government at that meeting.

In formulating the international response, we must seek to tackle the root causes. We must not allow this tragedy to deflect us from finding a balanced and humane approach and working to find a solution in Syria and to the migration crisis. We must continue to work for peace and stability in regions where fear and violence hold too much sway. We must work to prevent radicalisation. We need to share information more effectively and deter and disrupt terrorist travel. For our part, we will be vigilant here at home in working to ensure the safety and security of our citizens. The sad reality is that, just like other democratic states, we in Ireland cannot consider ourselves immune from the threat posed by international terrorism and extremism. An Garda Síochána is keeping the situation under constant review and all the agencies here co-operate closely in respect of any threats that are identified. They will continue to work with their EU and other international security and intelligence counterparts in responding to any such threats.

Our approach will, of course, continue to be based on international human rights principles and will fully respect the rule of law. We do this not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because these are precisely the values that were under attack last week. The Heads of State and leaders of the EU said in a joint statement on Saturday that "we stand united with the French people and the Government of France". This shameful act of terrorism will only achieve the opposite of its purpose, which was to divide, frighten and sow hatred. I expect to have a further update and briefing from the Garda Commissioner and the chief of the Defence Forces later in the week.

It should be remembered that Islam is a religion of peace. It is a religion of truth, kindness and compassion. It is not a religion of hatred, violence or terror. Those who murdered 129 people and injured 352 more will never succeed. In fact, with the love and solidarity shown all over the city of Paris and around the world, they are already defeated. Voltaire wrote that to the living we owe respect but to the dead we owe only the truth. That truth is our solidarity, our resolve, our refusal to give in. It is our belief in ourselves and in each other, our belief that it is love and not hatred that will overcome.

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