Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Some years ago, my great friend, the late TD, Louis J. Belton, commented at a Fine Gael Parliamentary Party meeting that one cannot have law without order. In the past few years, maybe because of abuse of social media and the spread of fake news, Ireland has changed. There is a lot of anger and vicious abuse of people, particularly public representatives and those who with responsible authority, which is driven by cowards who insight others behind the veil of social media stories and far-fetched theories.

It is my strong belief that the Minister, Deputy McEntee, the Commissioner, Mr. Harris, his management team and the Garda have, and will have, the resources and the determination to deal with this ominous threat and to ensure that the perpetrators of this violence on the streets of our capital will not get the same opportunity to strike again with the same level of violence and damage as witnessed ten days ago.

I met Commissioner Harris many years ago and he gave me great advice. He said that sometimes people make poor choices. Sinn Féin, on this occasion and with this motion, is making a poor choice and it knows it. This is not the time to play politics with a serious issue. This is the time to unite and demonstrate our loyalty to this State and the Garda.

Since the outbreak of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, many of the perpetrators of violence and murder against our Garda have not been brought to justice. This includes those who murdered Garda recruit Gary Sheehan and Private Patrick Kelly in Ballinamore in my constituency of Sligo-Leitrim 40 years ago this week. Sinn Féin is caught in a cynical battle for votes between the so called far left and far right. However, the centre will hold and it must hold.

The Minister, Deputy McEntee, follows a long list of strong Fine Gael Ministers for Justice who took on the organisations and individuals who wanted to overthrow and destabilise this State, people like Kevin O’Higgins, Patrick Cooney, Michael Noonan and Nora Owen, to name a few. They all faced the enemies of the State head on and provided confidence and stability. I have no doubt Deputy McEntee is doing that. It is time for her to get on with the job.

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