Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I welcome this debate. It is very important that it take place in this Chamber. With no disrespect to the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power, I would have believed this debate warranted the presence of a senior Minister for its full duration. The inquiry into the murder has led to very serious allegations which, if true, will have significant and serious ramifications north and south of the Border. Justice must be seen to be done even if heaven falls in this case. We must face up to the fact that the people I heard in open debate in Crossmaglen are absolutely convinced that the people who murdered Paul Quinn were members of the Provisional IRA, contrary to what the Minister said in his speech. The ramifications of this fact, if it be true, are very serious.

Certain actions must be taken to deal with the situation. I listened carefully to what Deputy Ó Caoláin had to say. I say to him that I very much welcome the peace we have attained in this country. I very much welcome the fact the IRA is no longer engaged in a campaign of murder. It is also to be welcomed that Sinn Féin is fully playing its part in the administration of the Six Counties, as its members call it, or, as we would say, of Northern Ireland. That should not be put at risk.

If this death means anything and if any good is to come of it, this House, the Government and the British Government should insist that the IRA disband and cease to exist. The meeting to which I referred was an open debate, where people went into a hall in the heart of Crossmaglen and spoke openly and strongly, with a lifetime of experience, of their desire to be rid forever of this blight on their lives. Nobody to whom I spoke expressed a wish for the Northern Ireland Executive to fall. Nor do I want to see it fall. However, there is a desire for change.

A person to whom I spoke put it properly when he said that he had been intimidated, on the one hand, by the British Army and the RUC for most of his adult life and, on the other hand, by the IRA. He has had no peace in his life. Either one side or the other, he observed, was constantly intimidating ordinary people because of events that took place in the area. This person wants rid of both sides. The British Army, thankfully, is gone, and it is time now for the Provisional IRA to cease to exist. That would be a fitting outcome of this most appalling and savage murder.

I listened carefully to Deputy Ó Caoláin's speech. I do not accept the words he used. I can only paraphrase what he said but he referred to the question of whether the late Paul Quinn had or had not been involved in criminal activity. The Taoiseach has expressed his belief that Mr. Quinn was not involved in such activity. I acknowledge the importance of the contribution of Sinn Féin in bringing about peace. I make no argument in that regard. However, the party should not continue to cast doubt on this man's character. It is wrong to do so. This country must move forward. Crossmaglen is only three quarters of an hour from my home, but the last five miles of the journey are through an area that has witnessed the most appalling and savage killing for many years. Everybody is delighted those killings have ceased, apart from this particular evil attack.

I remind the Taoiseach and his Government that the future of the peace process will depend on the outcome of this case. If the perpetrators are apprehended, people will begin to have confidence in the effectiveness of going to the Garda and the PSNI. This will allow for a new mood in south Armagh and all along the Border. People in the area have told me they are in fear of the former IRA volunteers who walk the roads of south Armagh. They believe these individuals to be current members of the IRA. Significant and serious intimidation is ongoing. Deputy Crawford and I met people who gave us a list of incidents of intimidation and beatings that have occurred in the last three to four years.

Such incidents must end forever. That is what the Quinn family wants. Deputy Ó Caoláin said that certain people in the area were being blamed for this murder and intimidated for that reason. The words of Briege and Stephen Quinn are clear on this point. They want no retribution and do not support or condone any such action. The Quinn family has no agenda for retribution. Rather, their agenda is to seek the justice to which they are entitled. That is the way forward for us.

My deepest sympathies go to the Quinn family. On meeting them, one's instinct is one of absolute conviction and support for what they know to be true, that their son was not a criminal or thug and that he was evilly, morally and appallingly done to death. Mr. Quinn's family has no doubt that the Government, Garda and PSNI are doing their best. There is total acceptance of that and support for them. What the family wants, and I support them in this, is for the IRA to be disbanded for all time. One of the killers of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe was released this week having serving the sentence he was given under due process. There must be an end to all of that. I ask Deputy Ó Caoláin and his Sinn Féin colleagues to go to the IRA as it presently exists and put the case that it is time to disband. If it does so, the entire organisational structure and historical ethos to which Deputy Crawford referred will be gone forever.

Justice must be done and must be seen to be done in this case. The Government must have the courage to say to Sinn Féin that it must disband the IRA. We want it gone forever. Nobody is saying the Executive should fall. However, there must be some change as a result of this murder. The absolute conviction of the Quinn family and of the others at that meeting in Crossmaglen is so crystal clear that it has 100% credibility.

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