Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last night was the fourth night of recent violence in the North. Police officers have been attacked by rioters still wearing their orange regalia. Many police officers have been injured. There were attacks last night, including bomb and petrol bomb attacks on St. Matthew's Church and on homes in the Short Strand. Violence from any quarter must be condemned and deplored but what we are witnessing on the streets at this time is naked sectarian aggression.

I do not believe the scenes we are witnessing reflect the majority within the Orange Order and the loyal orders and more especially the majority of citizens in the North. I hope the Taoiseach will join with me in saying that solutions can only be found through dialogue involving the loyal orders and residents of the host communities. The experience of Derry and other areas is evidence of that.

I wish to argue specifically again very strongly that we must all recognise that Orangeism is a part of who we are as a nation and a people. The loyal orders have the right to parade and to promote their sense of identity but that must be on the basis of equality and tolerance. We cannot tolerate sectarianism, bigotry or incitement to hatred. Will the Taoiseach join with me in calling for an end to the street protests, appeal for calm and urge the order to enter into real dialogue on the contentious parades? The Taoiseach will recall that I have constantly argued for the Government to be in continuous contact with the British Government as part of its responsibility as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement. The Agreement specifically affirms the right of citizens to live free from sectarian harassment. Has the Government spoken to the British Government on the recent violence?

See this speech in context