Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute. In the short time I have been a Member of the House, the past two hours have probably been the most difficult. There is a person in the Visitors Gallery who has been subjected to a type of violation, violence and disgusting abuse over a period that none of us can appreciate. I certainly cannot. In recognising our lack of appreciation of what she has gone through, we must consider what has been done in the name of the organisation that carried out the heinous act in the first place.

I ask the new generation of Sinn Féin Deputies, many of whom I rate as decent and respectable people, to look at themselves in the course of this debate. Some are parents, which is something that I became recently. If they had daughters or sons who returned home and said that they were raped and brought before the persons who raped them to account for what happened at a particular moment, how would the Deputies feel? That is to what this issue boils down. Undoubtedly, the scattergun deflection tactics of the party's leadership will not change. His speech that we just heard proves the point. However, the newer generation must take responsibility. After Maíria Cahill, there will be another Maíria Cahill. As sure as night follows day, more people will come forward about what happened to them and how they were treated in the same fashion. On "Morning Ireland", Deputies Mac Lochlainn, Tóibín, Pearse Doherty and, most surprisingly and astonishingly in light of her comments in the House, McDonald defended the indefensible. The next victim will come forward. Deputy Martin alluded to two brothers from County Louth. What will those Deputies say then? What formula of words will the Sinn Féin research office come up with to protect them?

The Deputies have a choice to make. Do they believe Maíria Cahill or do they believe their leadership? If they believe what Maíria Cahill has said is true and have no issue with it, they obviously cannot believe the other side of the story. Will they choose to continue supporting it? There will be more victims. When the history of church abuse first came to light, what started as a trickle turned into a flood. The Deputies have a duty and obligation to their families and their consciences because, after politics, they will have to live with themselves. There is no other political institution or party in the world in which blind loyalty would take precedence over the truth.

Deputy Adams used the word "chilling" in his statement.

Chilling is how I would refer to the comment made in America last week that was directed at the staff, journalists and management of the Independent News and Media Group newspapers. Deputy Adams decided to liken himself or his mob to the late General Michael Collins. I remember as a young fellow watching the political debate in 1987 between Lloyd Bentsen and Dan Quayle. Senator Quayle was standing for election as Vice President of the United States at the time and went on to win - Deputy Adams also may well win this debate - but he likened himself to John F. Kennedy. Lloyd Bentsen said:

Senator, ... I knew Jack Kennedy. [He] was a friend of mine. ... you are no Jack Kennedy.

Deputy Adams, you are no Michael Collins and to drag him into this matter and to besmirch his reputation in a scatter-gun approach to try to defend the indefensible is beneath contempt. I refer to those who chuckled and laughed in the Sheraton hotel last week, at $500 a plate, as Deputy Adams made a joke out of intimidating journalists. Members need not agree with journalists, as they give all of us a rough time. They take out each Member individually when they need to and sometimes it is unfair. However, in the recent past in this country, we have seen the life of a woman, Veronica Guerin, being quenched on the Naas Road. That copper-fastened for the people the need to protect the independence of journalism and to make any kind of joke about the independence of journalism or to send heavies over to the headquarters of the Irish Independentto silence them in some sort of quasi-army-like fashion is beneath Deputy Adams. He should use this opportunity to apologise to the staff in the Irish Independentand their families, many of whom are genuinely worried this might actually happen some day. There may be a situation at some point in the future when Deputy Adams's party might be in government and he may very well have the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs, Justice and Equality and Health at his disposal. I will finish as I started, by reiterating that Sinn Féin's new generation of backbenchers have a serious question they must answer, namely, do they believe Deputy Adams or do they believe Maíria Cahill? I know who I believe.

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