Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to offer my sincerest sympathy to all the families of the Paris atrocity that occurred last Friday night. The horrific attack on innocent people was a bad day for humanity. No words from me tonight will bring back those people, and their families will grieve for a long time.

One could not but be moved to hear Katie Healy, from County Louth, who was attending the rock concert with her boyfriend, David Nolan, from County Cork, speak on a radio programme this morning. Eighty-nine people were killed, yet they managed to escape, although David was shot in the leg. The fear, violence, intimidation and the nightmare experienced by many of those young people shocked us all. It is something that will live with them for years, but they did escape. To me, all human life is precious and I wish them and their families well. Their families will be glad to have them back.

All Deputies in the Dáil today are united in their grief for the people killed and injured in these attacks. It is important that these victims are given all our support and solidarity but, equally, it is important to express our support, solidarity and sympathy for the 222 victims of the recent attack on the Russian civilian aircraft, the 45 people killed in Lebanon, and the 132 Turks, most of whom were secular leftists and Kurds, killed in the 10 October massacre in Turkey. We also have the nightmare for the Palestinian and Iraqi people, and the ordinary men and women of Syria. To me, all lives matter and there must never be a hierarchy of victims, as some would try to claim.

It is also important not to label the Muslim population, blame migrants or attack anti-war voices genuinely opposed to all violence. It is important to react in a calm and sensible manner. Ireland can lead on this from our own history and vision of peacekeeping. Last Wednesday, I met some of the families of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and they still suffer the pain and hurt. They still look for truth and justice. We should unite and support all the victims and their families.

If we are serious about stopping these atrocities we must support a United Nations approach that would protect the innocent and implement an international policing policy impartially and fairly. It has got to be fair and balanced, but also decisive. Some western powers have to face the reality that their actions, and their history, has not helped the situation. Shooting or bombing people in pubs or at concerts, or families in their beds, is never an option, regardless of any political or religious disagreements.

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