Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

That is a good question. The Deputy will note from the material supplied that the question of the building materials on the works on O'Connell Street had been the subject of six separate meetings between the Garda and city council officials. The Garda stressed throughout those meetings that the building materials were to be made secure. Given that the materials were made secure behind relatively light barriers, I admit it might have been an idea to deploy gardaí in or around the compound so as to prevent access thereto. However, the way in which the disorder developed was such that, at a critical moment, gardaí did not have access to the area. The time for the decision had elapsed.

We can all be wise after the event. The Garda officers, sergeants, inspectors, superintendents and regional assistant commissioner are all strongly on the side of their members and do not send them into danger willingly. They prepared carefully for the event and believed they had made adequate preparation. There would never be a riot in the city of Dublin if intelligence was perfect and if the Garda response was always 100% adequate. It simply could not occur in such circumstances but we live in a world in which there are riots.

Let us not get carried away and say the whole world is looking at Ireland and asking what kind of society there is there and in its capital. There are equivalent disturbances in Paris virtually every day of the week and I do not hear people say they will not visit that city. There are disturbances in London and other places but the world does not decide their societies are in failure. The grotesque thuggery was engaged in by a small group and I believe the majority abroad will understand this.

The Ceann Comhairle, being from a Border constituency, will understand that a number of the people who came down to Dublin in buses had intended to go shopping before going home. It is sad that many of them, owing to their political persuasion, had never put a foot into this State before Saturday, although they live in Border regions. This makes me feel very sorry about the outcome of the march and their experience. I reiterate, however, that they did have their parade; they did have their meeting and their bands did play. They did so outside Leinster House. Therefore, the thugs who tried to frustrate them were not entirely successful. They got back to Northern Ireland safely.

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