Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom mo chomhbhrón ó chroí a chur in iúl do chuile dhuine atá buailte ag an ócáid tragóideach seo. Tá an-trua agam dóibh siúd atá tar éis baill dá gclann a chailleadh agus dóibh siúd a ghortaíodh san ionsaí seo. Tá sé dochreidte gur tharla sé seo do dhaoine óga a bhí amuigh ag baint taitneamh as an deireadh seachtaine. Tá sé deacair a chreidiúnt go bhfuil olc mar seo inár measc.

I offer my sincerest sympathies and condolences to the families and friends of all those who lost their lives in the terrible and shocking attack on the people of Paris last Friday night. I also remember those who were injured and I hope they make a speedy recovery. Our thoughts today at this tragic time are with the people of France and the French community in Ireland.

The attacks in France were rightly condemned across the world and were condemned without any ambiguity whatsoever, nowhere more so than among the Muslim communities in many of the countries which have expressed their shock at the barbaric acts perpetrated by ISIS. It is particularly heartening to see that Islamic organisations in Ireland have condemned the attacks, rightly describing them as heinous and inhumane and dubbing them crimes against humanity. Irish Muslims have thoroughly dissociated their faith and their community in the strongest possible terms from such brutal acts and have denounced those who have perpetrated them. Nothing should be done or said that could incite anger or revenge toward Muslims and Muslim communities in Ireland and Europe because Muslims are not to blame for the actions of ISIS. Islam teaches that human beings have a moral obligation to live in harmony with one another and requires its followers to show respect and tolerance even to those who do not share their faith. The Prophet Muhammad said that God has no mercy on one who shows no mercy to others. Muslims are peaceful and law-abiding citizens of the countries in which they live - none more so than Irish Muslims who have made, and continue to make, valuable contributions to Irish society. So it is with sadness that we are already hearing of attacks directed at innocent Muslims. A petrol bomb attack on family this morning in Ballymena is being described by the PSNI as a hate crime. There can be no recourse to such ignorant and intolerant reactions. This is no response to the tragic and barbaric events in Paris. Our Muslim citizens must not be made to feel they are any less Irish and any less of a citizen than other Irish citizens, regardless of religion, gender or colour, because ISIS wants to isolate Muslims. We must be determined to frustrate its efforts and stand as one - citizen to citizen and human being to human being - in defence of our common liberties and dignity.

As we mourn these horrific deaths in Paris, we must not allow these events to blind us to the continuing refugee crisis. It is worth reminding ourselves that the Mediterranean has become a graveyard for refugees. Almost 3,500 men, women and children are estimated to have died or gone missing this year while trying to cross the Mediterranean. These people are fleeing tragedies and horrific events and are not to blame for what happened in Paris.

Understandably, this is a time of high emotions. At this time of huge civilian losses in Paris, we must work to prevent and be conscious of avoiding further civilian casualties wherever they may occur. We need to make sure multiculturalism is a success story in our societies. We need to fight racist ideologies that seek to divide our communities. We need to help refugees fleeing ISIS in Syria and Iraq and not stigmatise or attack them.

What happened on Friday night was the worst nightmare of any parent, husband or wife - to see their loved ones leave to go to a football match, attend a concert or go for a pizza with their children and not return. How those who are left behind must struggle to understand and make sense of this senseless event. In each event, there are emerging stories of heroism and strength in adversity. The horrific events in Paris touched many nations, including our own. Two Irish citizens on holiday in Paris, Katie Healy and David Nolan, were in the Bataclan concert hall last Friday night. David was shot in the leg. Protecting Katie from a gunman, he covered her as best he could until they were able to escape. Katie dragged him to safety. We send David and Katie our best wishes.

What next? How do we respond to events like these? How do we answer the questions people are asking? How do we make Paris, Brussels or Dublin safe? People are understandably fearful and angry so our responses must be measured and help break down the barriers and divisions between communities. We must be very aware that any political or diplomatic response must be well thought out, rational and productive. Peace, the resolution of conflict, naming and resolving injustice and naming and defeating fundamentalism are the ingredients of peace. They will keep Paris, Dublin and Beirut safe. The guiding values of liberté, égalitéand fraternitémust shape our interventions and policies in the Middle East. This has not been the case to date. Freedom for Palestine and peace and stability in Syria and throughout the region make up the context for safety and peace in Europe.

To defend civilisation we must act from the bedrock of our most civilised instincts, not from revenge or fear but truth. The carnage that occurred in Paris, at the heart of Europe, forces us in Europe and the West to ask very searching and far-reaching questions about interventions, decisions and policies, particularly on the Middle East. We have an opportunity to right the wrongs visited on the people of the Middle East and to drain the swamps of desperation, poverty and brutality which feed fundamentalism and violence. We must seize these opportunities. That is the only fitting tribute to those who lost their lives or were injured in Paris. It is the only response to the question of how we keep our societies safe and civilised.

See this speech in context