Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

What happened on Saturday is unforgivable and unacceptable. It is not long ago — I think it was last Easter — when the group that sits beside me in the House organised a march down the same street with balaclavas and all sorts of regalia showing what it stood for. Nobody passed any remarks and that march was allowed to take place. Despite all the sentiment questioning which route should have been used, it was the route that all of us have used, I perhaps more often than anyone else in the House, as farm organisations and Monaghan hospital groups have often walked that route in protest. It is the accepted route.

My worry, above all, concerns the damage this has done to the peace process. It is clear it did not happen by accident and was not spontaneous. The bottles were in the bins from the night before and the petrol bombs were prepared. People brought what weapons they had with them — they were not all from the building sites. Questions must be asked. The most important issue is to check the identities of the perpetrators who show up on video or in photographs and discover whom they are associated with.

This did not happen by accident. We all knew the dissidents — the Real IRA and whatever the other group is called — intended to have a sit-down protest but nobody expected the hundreds or perhaps thousands of people who took part in the way they did to totally destroy the name of our capital city and our nation across the world.

At the time a group of people was doing that in Dublin, others in the peace process were trying to break down barriers between the different organisations in Northern Ireland. This work cannot be forgotten. It is the quiet, useful work that is done on a weekly and monthly basis without any show, pomp or ceremony. While I was not involved, I know others who were involved in such work in Belfast on the same day the other group was in Dublin trying to do as much damage as possible.

It is important the marchers who came to Dublin were protected. I give credit to the gardaí involved for ensuring the marchers got to Leinster House for a short period and returned to Belfast, Antrim, Down and elsewhere in safety. At least their spokespersons could see they got the protection of the Garda, which was important.

We must learn from this experience, which cannot happen again. Whether it be the Easter commemorations this year or a possible visit by the Queen, which is on the cards, we must make absolutely certain that whatever information is needed is obtained in time and utilised, and that the necessary action is taken to ensure people do not get away with what they to some degree got away with on Saturday.

I congratulate the members of the Garda Síochána at every level for the tremendous efforts they have made. It was an unforeseen circumstance to some degree but it is vital that they survived. It is vital the media were seen to be independent and that they, or anyone else who has video evidence, provide information to ensure the criminals who carried out this act are brought to justice.

It must be made clear that this is a republic and the people are entitled to free speech. Whoever wants to march has the right to march and this right does not just belong to a small few. As Deputy Jim O'Keeffe noted, this was the first occasion on which this group asked to come to Dublin, although marches have taken place in the Border area. Deputy McGinley will know of the marches that take place in County Donegal every July, which pass off peacefully and during which local people make the marchers welcome. Unfortunately, some people decided this should not happen in Dublin. They are the ones in the wrong. They must be brought to justice and we depend on the Minister to ensure that happens.

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