Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Probably like many other Irish people who were watching the match last Friday evening when word started to break on this attack, for me sport was put into perspective when I saw what was unfolding. Again probably like many Irish people who went to bed Friday night not knowing what they would wake up to Saturday morning, it was for me too atrocious and terrible to watch the number of people shot and murdered continue to rise. One simply did not know where the next attack was coming from; it had all the hallmarks of 9/11. As Deputy Creed stated, we all remember where we were when we heard that news. I imagine last Friday night will be no different in our psyche given Paris is so close. It is on our doorstep. There have been many atrocities over the past six months to 18 months. However, given Paris is so close to home and most people in this Chamber and country have been to France at some stage, there was a fear and a risk that Irish people were caught up in the attack as well. This fear will have brought the situation home for us.

We need to be careful of history repeating itself. We all know what happened with 9/11 and what happened after it. We all know the international response by certain countries. I have no doubt there will be a need for a military response, but we need to consider how we roll it out on both diplomatic and political levels. We need to be honest. Some of the actions taken after 9/11 probably led us in some part to where we are today. Instability has been created in the Middle East. I am no expert in the politics, history or culture of the Middle East. I do not think many are. If one were to get involved in it, it would take an awful lot of time to understand. It is a part of the world that has a very rich history, but it is a complicated place and perhaps our involvement at times has not been correct.

The point I am trying to make is this. Who would deny any European or French person their wanting for a pound of flesh after what happened? However, we have to ask ourselves if we will end up recreating the same problems again. Perhaps it is time for people to stand back a little, analyse the situation and see how best we can create a better situation. There is no doubt ISIS needs to be removed quickly. It has no solidarity in the country and the world we want to live in, but how do we go about removing it? It is being funded by someone and it is recruiting in other ways. It is time the whole world came together.

I agree with Deputy Creed's remarks on the United Nations. Talk is cheap. The future of all of this lies in its ability to bring countries together to come up with a proper resolution to this problem. We need to be very careful over the next few weeks and months that our response is fair and accurate and that, whatever we decide to do, there is a long-term plan.

I am often concerned about the language of war. We talk about how we will deal with the problem and how we will get them out, yet the moment we do it, we abandon the region. That is when ISIS starts to grow. Leave a country in turmoil and ISIS can easily recruit young people into its cause.

The ultimate fact last Friday was that it was not a political gesture. The people involved did not care who they killed. They did not kill world leaders or decision makers. They killed innocent people. ISIS is able to radicalise people by saying this is what the West has done to them and telling them they can help in the fight back.

I extend my sympathy to all French people and, in particular, the families of those who lost their lives. If anything positive can come from this, it would be for us to take a step back and analyse what our next actions might be. We have to do something about ISIS but let us not make the situation worse.

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