Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I wish to share my time with Deputy Kehoe.

Like other Members, I condemn those responsible for turning the heart of our capital city into a riot zone last Saturday. It is unfortunate that some Members have chosen to try to switch the blame to the Garda, to politicians, to local authorities or anyone apart from the actual culprits who started the riots. I condemn those who are so bigoted and narrow-minded in their thinking that they would prevent free speech and a peaceful march by victims of IRA violence in Northern Ireland. While many may not share the political views of those in the Love Ulster movement, I had thought that Irish society was sufficiently mature to facilitate a march in our capital city of the type proposed on Saturday, along with a counter-protest — if people felt it to be necessary — but without resorting to the kind of vicious violence and brutality which we saw. It seems there was a small group of people who planned and organised affairs to ensure that the carnage was sparked off and that it continued. Thugs, fuelled with drink and easily-led disaffected youths joined in to promote havoc which caused disbelief and terror amongst onlookers going about their business in Dublin city centre, on the Saturday afternoon of a rugby international weekend.

The images transmitted around the European Union and further afield bring shame on Ireland. In many ways, we have been a model of economic growth and prosperity. We have been a real success story, a maturing small democracy which many others want to copy and use as a model within the European Union. However, Saturday's scenes sent out an awful message of intolerance and hatred. They reinforced the view among some, who do not understand the complicated nature of our peace process, that we still have far to go. Those who organised Saturday's events have no right to call themselves republicans or Nationalists and I was glad to hear so many Members repeat that sentiment today. They brought shame on those terms. While they preach that they are fighting for a united Ireland, all they create is division and further hatred. Such people will never unite Ireland. That will only be achieved by those who can accept and promote tolerance of all strands and backgrounds on our island.

I am encouraged by the isolation, since Saturday's riots, of those responsible. Clearly they are a small and withering minority in Irish society. However, Members should be in no doubt that they are still there. We must learn some lessons from Saturday's events. A silver lining can emerge from this dark cloud by ensuring such events will never be repeated. We must examine why so many young gardaí found themselves exposed in an unacceptable manner. There appear to have been e-mails, texts and telephone calls circulating before Saturday that warned people not to be in the city centre. We must establish why the Garda felt it was not necessary to take such warnings more seriously. Where was Garda intelligence in this respect? Members must ensure they receive a detailed report from the Garda which is not afraid to be critical. This is why I support my colleague, Deputy Jim O'Keeffe's call for an independent assessment of the events. It should be blunt and to the point to acquire the desired constructive criticism to ensure the events of Saturday are not repeated.

A balance must be struck between over-policing, or having a police state. People may well have accused us of having such a state had we overdone it on Saturday. At the same time, we must ensure people can go about their business safely and that their constitutional rights are protected, as the Minister noted in his opening statement.

Lessons must also be learned from a political perspective. Those who organised this disgraceful event probably call themselves republicans of sorts. Their actions on Saturday were completely counterproductive and have handed a political victory to those they claim to oppose in Northern Ireland, by causing further division and by reinforcing a mind set among some north of the Border to the effect that Unionists and loyalists are not welcome in Dublin, the Republic's capital city. I was glad to hear Deputy Crowe's comments in the debate today and I hope Members will hear more comments of that nature from Sinn Féin in the future. I hope its members mean them.

Members should not begin to change the nature of this debate into one on social deprivation or a lack of community or social policies on the Government's part. This was naked and blatant sectarianism on the streets of Dublin from the Celtic jersey brigade who unfortunately also bring shame to football and to that football club. We must prepare better for such events and must ensure that we do not provide a platform for similar people to inflict the kind of damage wrought in so many areas last Saturday, or to allow it to happen again.

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