Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

There will be no dissent with the Government from this side of the House today. On behalf of the Fine Gael Party — I am sure I speak for everybody — I would like to express our sympathy to the families, friends and connections of three men murdered in Northern Ireland in the recent past, Mark Quinsey, Patrick Azimkar and Stephen Carroll. I am sure the Taoiseach and all Members share my sense of revulsion at these cowardly deeds, carried out by twisted minds on the basis of a return to an armed struggle, despite the fact the vast majority of people, North and South, have voted for a peace process so many people have worked so hard to put in place.

The persons who carried out these murders have no mandate for their actions. They have openly defied the expressed will of the people of Ireland, North and South, to leave violence in the past and live together in peace. In doing what they did, they attempted to subvert the democratic process. This cannot and will not be tolerated.

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