Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank the Taoiseach for his clarification that the matter of an early release for the McCabe killers is now off the table. I hope it will not reappear in any circumstances until those persons have served their time. The Taoiseach knows my view on this. Both he and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform were prepared to do a deal in this matter last year, despite a very clear statement made to the Dáil by the previous Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Taoiseach also knows my view and my party's view regarding the ending of criminality by all persons and all parties in all places on this island. The Taoiseach understands my view on bipartisanship. We have always and will always support the Government's efforts to complete the Good Friday Agreement and rid this country of terrorism and criminal activity.

The Government continued on a path of appeasement for seven years. I regarded the actions of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who now takes a very strong Fine Gael line, as the actions of people who had become prisoners of the mind set of the negotiation strategy of the IRA and Sinn Féin. In that context I have two further questions. First, does the Taoiseach back up the assertion, made quite clearly and publicly by the Tánaiste, that a Member of this House, Deputy Ferris, is a member of the army council of the Provisional IRA? Second, does the Taoiseach have at his disposal, based on information from intelligence sources in the Garda and in the Army, knowledge of the whereabouts of illegal arms dumps currently held in the Republic? Will the Taoiseach comment on those two points?

See this speech in context