Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In one minute and 40 seconds, I cannot do justice to this topic. My empathy, thoughts and prayers are with the two people, the five-year-old girl and the teacher, who are still in hospital. I express my gratitude in respect of what happened on Thursday to the ambulancemen, the fire brigade team, the people from the hospital and the ordinary gardaí on the ground. I was driving to Achill and listened to every programme. It seems that only Garda management could have been unaware of what was building. It was not referred to in a single interview that afternoon and yet, on Saturday, the Irish Examinerwas able to publish a chronology of the messages that went out repeatedly from 2.30 p.m. onwards. I do not need to exaggerate. The management of the Garda did not seem to be aware of that.

In listening to everything over recent days and hearing of the courage of the people who came forward, including those who live in this country but come from a different country and the other people involved, what has jumped out at me was an interview on a news programme on Sunday with a community worker in the inner city. I ask everyone to listen back to the interview. No excuse was made. I deplore the actions and words of what is being described as "the right", who have got away with holy murder to date. The community worker pointed out how young people are drawn into violence.

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