Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I do not have hang-ups about which name is attached to it. I tend to use Derry more frequently than Londonderry simply because of my interest in soccer and catching up with what Derry City do on occasion. If my interest in soccer could bring about a situation where we had one international team representing the island of Ireland with regard to soccer, as we have in rugby, I wish we could see that happen. I know other people have expressed that view. If we are going to truly be successful on the international stage, as successful as our rugby team has been over the years, we need one soccer team that represents the island of Ireland and, indeed, to develop to a maturity where we have one domestic soccer league and second division that covers the island of Ireland. That would be very welcome.

I agree with the Deputy that we must continue to work the peace process and encourage those who are still intent on violence to end the violence, but we have to be realistic. I know the Deputy's party has sought to bring about that result. Unfortunately, to date, some of the more recalcitrant individuals committed to violence and, tragically and sadly, some young people who were not around at the time of the Troubles or were too young to take notice of them, are prepared to kill and maim. We need robust laws to deal with those issues. People showed courage to bring about an end to violence and bring about peace, but it is a great pity that those who were ultimately courageous were not courageous a decade or two decades earlier and did not bring the violence to an end at an earlier point.

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