Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Joe Higgins is right. I can only add that the names are known. The names of those people involved are freely spoken about. I will not mention names but I have talked to several people who told me who was involved. It is well known; there is no mystery about it. The issue is to get people who were there to co-operate with the PSNI to have these people charged. This recalls other cases that happened a year ago. For example, the Tohill case was a similar incident. There have been interesting developments in that area in the year since but I will not go into them now.

These are the issues which the Minister for Foreign Affairs is discussing with the family of Robert McCartney at the meeting that has just commenced. They are a brave family, who have stood up for their rights and we will give them every support we possibly can.

This case typifies issues which I will not go through again. I have raised several of the issues that Deputy Joe Higgins raised about things that happened to young people. These were regular incidents over the Christmas period, and at other times. They did not happen for many months then they began to occur again.

We must move on from that and the only way to do so is for the two Governments to get unambiguous, straight answers on the issues we have put forward. We need this not only in writing or reports but in action. We know from last year that we can see it in action as there was a total end to such incidents during the negotiating period. They can be stopped. There is no doubt that people have control and authority. I am convinced that people can stop these activities when they want and we can get to that end position.

I think I referred to paragraph 11 in reply to Deputy Rabbitte when of course I should have said paragraph 13 of the joint declaration. That is the one we are talking about and focused on. There are other outstanding issues on which we must make progress but the central one is paragraph 13 which deals with paramilitarism, thuggery and criminality. When we achieve progress on that we can move on.

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