Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Tánaiste; the last thing anybody wants is a return to violence and everybody would condemn the use of violence to achieve a political opinion. However, people are entitled to hold a different opinion and that is not a reason for putting them in jail. In engaging with the people in the North, we have seen it is very difficult to identify who exactly is calling the shots as it were. In each of our discussions the decision seems to be that it goes to the Minister for Justice and then it is the Secretary of State. The parole commissioners are supposed to be independent and yet we are told the Judiciary has a role and it does not seem to be independent. It is hard to understand where the buck stops. When the Irish and British Governments were involved it brought another impetus that brought about the Good Friday Agreement. We know that other agreements from that time are not being implemented or adhered to. There are quite a number of issues and the involvement of the Irish Government can only do good.

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