Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is important that we return again to the core of this question. A report has just been published, following an inquiry that was undertaken for eight years. It is a very extensive report and goes through a significant amount of evidence. It comments on that evidence and concludes that there was collusion between some members of An Garda Síochána and the IRA that led to the killing of two police officers on their way back from a meeting in Dundalk. By any standard, that is a serious matter, at a number of levels. It was obviously serious for the individuals who lost their lives, but it is also serious for our police service, the police service of a democratic state. It is serious that, for whatever reason or motivation, consequent to certain persuasion or perhaps pressure, some officers of An Garda Síochána colluded with the IRA to kill two police officers from Northern Ireland who were returning from a meeting in a Garda station in Dundalk. That is an issue we must address as a democratic state. I hope we will do so when we debate it more fully in the House. We must also address it because of the impact it will have on an Garda Síochána. As I said, it is an outstanding force that does a great job and its members will be traumatised.

They will think, today, of the sacrifices that so many members of the Garda Síochána have made. There are times when we can debate and discuss episodes in the history of this island, in the context of the issue of equivalence, to which Deputy Adams referred. However, to be honest, I do not think today is the day to do that. I do not think Deputy Adams does himself, his party or, with the greatest of respect, the peace process any service today by----

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