Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Last Saturday in Omagh a despicable act was carried out which has been universally condemned in both parts of this island. It will be counter-productive to the perpetrators. I convey my utter abhorrence of the brutal and senseless killing of Constable Ronan Kerr. I speak for everyone in this House in expressing deepest condolences to his family. We must remember that, in the first instance, the callous murder of Constable Kerr has left his mother, Nuala, grieving for a lost son and Cathair, Aaron and Deirine without a much loved brother. Their loss is a terrible one and I send them my deepest sympathy at this very sad and dark time.

Ronan Kerr's death is a severe loss to his family. He is also a great loss to his friends and community, to his fellow GAA players, to his colleagues in the Police Service of Northern Ireland and to all peace-loving people on this island. I was particularly moved by the words of Nuala Kerr who, in the midst of her shock and grief, was brave enough to speak out against the perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act and to urge Catholics not to be deterred from joining the PSNI, a sincere sentiment later reinforced in the statements from the First and Deputy First Ministers. I spoke to Nuala yesterday. Despite her loss she welcomed my call and spoke warmly and with immense pride about her son, Ronan. Her dignity at what is a deeply sad time for the Kerr family impressed me greatly. I intend to offer my sympathy to her and her family in person tomorrow

In totally condemning the callous killing of a young man who had decided to dedicate his life to protecting the people of Northern Ireland, I am joined by all the political voices on these islands. What is especially striking is the speed with which all sections of the community have moved to express their utter outrage at this unlawful, merciless murder. The condemnation has been broad-based and swift. The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Rev. Alan Harper, and the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, the Right Rev. Ken Good, were correct when they said that the "cruelty and shame of those who committed this act, either in planting the device or in supplying of information, is displayed for all the world to see." In his statement the president of Ulster GAA summed up what many feel when he said that "his [Constable Kerr's] death demeans humanity and is detrimental to the development of a shared future based on mutual respect." Later he described the attack on one of its members as an "attack on us all". I join the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, when he said that " those who carried out this wicked and cowardly crime will never succeed in dragging Northern Ireland back to a dark and bloody past."

Since the terrible incident on Saturday I have spoken to the Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron, the First Minister, Mr. Peter Robinson, and to the Deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin McGuinness. Many ministerial colleagues have been in touch with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. We are all equally determined, in a combined effort, to maintain peace, stability and security in Northern Ireland. We will not waver from that task.

Saturday's attack was an attack on community policing, and its impact has been felt by both police forces on this island. The Garda Commissioner put it well when he said that while the Garda and PSNI wear different uniforms, they are woven together by what they do. The extent and quality of co-operation between the Garda and the PSNI is of the highest level and is proving to be a successful collaboration. The increased level in dissident activities in the past two years has been met by even greater levels of co-operation between both forces. Saturday's events will only strengthen that co-operation.

The Government will provide every support to the investigation into this crime. The Minister for Justice and Equality has been in touch with his opposite number, the Northern Ireland Justice Minister, Mr. David Ford, to assure him that every support will be given to the PSNI in this case. This shocking event brings to mind the violence and destruction that unfortunately was so much a part of the past in Northern Ireland and which brought previous tragedy to the good people of Omagh. One must also remind oneself that in recent years, as a result of the peace process, a new era has developed that has totally transformed Northern Ireland, the relationships between both its traditions and the relationships between North and South. Saturday's terrible event will not deflect us from this path of peace.

I join with the PSNI Chief Constable and the Garda Síochána in appealing to members of the public who have any information relating to the criminals responsible to come forward. No effort must be spared in bringing them to justice. This was a heinous and pointless act of terror by a small segment of the population whose motivation lies in the dark past. The rejection of this awful crime and the united response of the political parties and civic society sends out a very clear message. Quite simply, we will not allow a return to instability and violence. The democratic will of the people will never be defeated. The democratic institutions and the peace that has been so hard-won are being challenged by a tiny and unrepresentative group of people with no mandate and no support for their actions. They are acting in defiance of the peace process so wholeheartedly supported by the people on this island.

The Good Friday Agreement made clear the people's commitment to peace and the creation of a stable society founded on mutual respect, equal rights and opportunities for all its citizens. The Agreement provided the basis on which Northern Ireland has reached a new era of peace, mutual respect and co-operation. It provided a firm basis for reconciliation and renewal and helped to bring to an end the historical legacy of mistrust and bitter conflict. The Good Friday Agreement provided a framework for a new beginning and a new era marked by tolerance and mutual respect for all people and all points of view on this island. The constitutional amendment so emphatically endorsed by the people in 1998 sets out clearly our commitment to working in partnership and friendship to unite all the people who share the territory of the island of Ireland, with equal regard to the diversity of their identities and traditions, recognising that a united Ireland shall be brought about only by peaceful means with the consent of the majority of the people, democratically expressed, in both jurisdictions in the island.

These principles are strongly adhered to today and continue to guide Government policy. Through all the twists and turns over the last number of years, the Agreement has endured, both in respect of its institutions, which are central, and of the very principles and aspirations it embodies. These principles and aspirations continue to guide us as we continue to work together to make a better future and resolve never to return to the pain, suffering and darkness of the past. The Good Friday Agreement represents the absolute democratic will of the people of this island, North and South. Its implementation is an imperative to a peaceful and prosperous future on this island. Last Saturday's tragedy is completely contrary to the letter and the spirit of the Agreement. It was an action of a past from which we all have moved on and was a brutal action that offers nothing to either the present or the future. It was a cold, calculated and cowardly act carried out by what the Deputy First Minister described as the "enemies of ... peace" and "enemies of the people of Ireland".

When the Northern Assembly rose at the end of March in advance of the Assembly elections, it marked the longest continual period of operation of the institutions in the North since the Agreement. This is a significant achievement and is a historical milestone. I wish to acknowledge the commitment and determination of the political leaders in Northern Ireland to work together to create a new future. They demonstrate the primacy of democracy and hope over violence and despair. They have shown that the institutions work. They have displayed a firm commitment to tackling issues that concern everyone, including the economy, jobs, health, education, infrastructure and the quality of life in general. Above all, the political institutions offer real hope for the future. In referring to those who perpetrated this act, the First and Deputy First Minister gave a clear message that the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland are stronger today than ever before. In this context, the forthcoming elections represent the normalisation of politics in the North, which was brought about by democratic politics, democratic votes and adherence to the rule of law by a forward-looking society.

In its programme for Government, the Government has set out its full support for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and the St. Andrews Agreement. It is committed to publishing and acting on the recommendations of the first review of the North-South implementation bodies and areas for co-operation and will progress the second part of the review to identify new areas for North-South co-operation. The promotion of greater economic co-operation on this island to accelerate the process of recovery and the creation of jobs also is a clear part of that agenda. The Government is committed to furthering these issues through the work of the North-South Ministerial Council. The degree of co-operation at all levels between North and South and across a wide range of key sectors continues to develop. There has been a transformation of relationships on this island. Relations between nationalism and unionism have been transformed, as have relations between North and South and between Ireland and Britain.

The Government remains firmly committed to working with the Northern Ireland Executive and the British Government to maintain peace in Northern Ireland, to build on the historic achievements that have been made after so much hard work by so many and which have helped to create a better future for everyone on this island. I hope and pray that the tragic and unfortunate death of Ronan Kerr will mark a turning point for those who might lean towards supporting violence as a way forward. Violence clearly is not a way forward for anyone. It can not and will not succeed in dividing us. This House is united today, as is our country, in remembering the life of a young and proud Irishman, Constable Ronan Kerr. He was a proud Irishman who loved his country and who lost his life in the service of Ireland and the cause of peace. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the opportunity to speak on the callous and shocking murder of Police Constable Ronan Kerr. I will of course also attend his funeral mass tomorrow. I referred earlier to the importance of an agreed motion to give a clear message from this democratic Chamber.

At the outset, I wish to extend my deepest sympathies and those of my party to the family, friends and neighbours of Ronan Kerr. His murder is a heinous crime and those responsible for it are beneath contempt. They are psychopaths not patriots and I hope they soon will face the full rigors of the law. Ronan Kerr was a brave and civic-minded Irishman. He was shamefully murdered by faceless and twisted assassins who are intent on defying the will of the Irish people. Ronan died in the service of his community as he left his home to go to work in Enniskillen on Saturday evening in order that others could live in peace and security. His death is a human tragedy for his family and for the people of Omagh. His murder has achieved nothing but suffering, pain and terrible grief among an ordinary hard-working family. Moreover, there is no escaping the sadness, sense of waste and lost potential of a young man in his prime, only 25 years of age, being senselessly and brutally assassinated by people who have no respect for human life and no respect for democracy.

The perpetrators of such evil actions have no place in civilised society and must be challenged and confronted at every opportunity. In the aftermath of an horrific murder such as this, it is important that a clear, united and unequivocal message be sent from the democratic Parliament of the Irish Republic that those responsible for this cowardly atrocity have no mandate and do not act in the name of the Irish people. The terrorists who carried out this brutal killing have no democratic legitimacy. They went about their vile business because they have no respect for the sovereign wishes of the Irish people. They may claim to be a republican organisation but most definitely are not. Their actions and contempt for the will of the Irish people, North and South, to live together in peace and harmony, defiles that honourable tradition. Real republicans understand and respect the fact that the Irish people are sovereign. Real republicans recognise and accept that the Irish people have democratically expressed their support for peace on this island and stand firmly behind that inspired decision.

The murder of Ronan Kerr is a direct assault on and a violent attempt to undermine the peace process. It is a brutal effort to subvert the collective will of the people as expressed in the Good Friday Agreement. It is part of a sinister plot to destabilise the legitimately established institutions in Northern Ireland. As democratically elected representatives, it is important that Deputies express with one voice our clear revulsion for and steadfast opposition to those who want to return this island to the bad days of murder and mayhem.

A lunatic minority who glory in a return to so-called armed struggle wish to undo all the progress of a generation in building peace and trust, but they will not succeed. The peace process belongs to all the people of this island and no terrorist gang will deflect us from it. No terrorist gang can be allowed to dictate to the Irish people or undermine our desire to live and share this island in harmony and friendship. The will of the people is stronger than those who threaten or use violence while claiming a political agenda. Let us be clear - there is no politics in the murder of Ronan Kerr. It is murder, plain and simple. It was carried out by people with no agenda other than to inflict pain and cause sorrow.

I want to make clear to the Taoiseach and the Government that they have this party's full support and enduring co-operation in ensuring that these terrorist gangs are not allowed to jeopardise the peace process. A convention has developed whereby they are referred to as "dissidents". I have always rejected this label. "Dissident" suggests a coherent opinion and a principled stand against another's position. It probably developed during the Cold War. It has no place in the description of the bloodthirsty nihilists who took the life of this fine young Irishman. They are straightforward gangs, but we are acutely conscious of the threat they pose. Unfortunately, this week has shown us once again their aptitude and capacity for evil. Irish and British security and intelligence sources believe they are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their bomb-making capability.

Fianna Fáil will support the Government in any effort it takes to place further extensive resources at the disposal of the Garda to target the activities of these gangs. We will also support the Government in any practical legislative measure it may introduce to crush those who engage in or give succour to terrorist gangs. The Garda Síochána will be giving every assistance to the PSNI to counter the subversive threat to democracy on this island. I am heartened by the excellent co-operation between the police services. That is the way it should be and it is a reality which many of us in this House have worked hard to help achieve. Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott are liaising closely. Anti-terrorist officers from both police services are also working together in an effort to identify the murderers. It is the patriotic duty of everyone on this island to give full support to police investigations so the evil people responsible for this crime can be brought to justice.

This weekend, the name of Ireland was sullied again by those who trade in old hatreds and glory in weapons of terror. At a time when we crucially need to bring jobs and investment to our country, the international reputation of Ireland has taken another blow from murderers who care more about sowing the seeds of conflict than the need to restore prosperity to the people of Ireland. It is important that our national Parliament be seen to stand firmly and absolutely behind the peace process. For this reason, I suggested it would be an apt response from the House to pass an all-party agreed motion making clear our abhorrence of the murder in Omagh.

I also want to commend the response of First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness who joined Chief Constable Baggott at Stormont Castle yesterday to condemn the attack on Constable Kerr. Indeed, the shared revulsion and outrage right across the political spectrum caused by the murder of the young police officer shows clearly how isolated and out of touch the murderers are with mainstream opinion. In every community across the island, the strong sense of solidarity with the Kerr family and the public anger at the wrong that has been done to its members show how far we have travelled and how deep the roots of reconciliation have stretched.

In many ways, this united approach and clear sense that the overwhelming majority of people want to leave violence behind offer us hope for the future. Trust and better relations take time to grow and develop, but they have begun to blossom in the past decade. There are still those who want to cling to ancient hatreds and to engage in violence, but they are few and isolated, their support is negligible and they will be defeated.

The fact that violence has reared its ugly head once again in Northern Ireland should make us all the more resolved to stick with our framework for peace, which is centred on key democratic values such as respect for human rights, equality, tolerance and the principle of consent. As a democrat who accepts the principle of consent, I endorse the right of a majority of the population of Northern Ireland to maintain the Union with Britain if that is the people's democratic wish. As a proud Irish republican, however, I equally aspire to seeing and will continue to work towards the day when a majority of the people of Northern Ireland freely choose the option of an Ireland united in peace. The great genius of the Good Friday Agreement is that it validates both of these options.

One matter is clear and beyond doubt - violence or the threat of violence can never be used to change the constitutional status of Northern Ireland. I completely fail to understand how any sane individual could ever believe, even for a moment, that murdering a community policeman advances the cause of a united Ireland one iota. It undermines that goal and demeans the shared humanity of everyone.

The murder of Ronan Kerr on Saturday and other more recent attacks against PSNI officers and their families have shown a small criminal minority of people continue to dispute this view. They do not enjoy any significant level of support in the community and are without any political agenda or mandate, but we must remain vigilant. As a constitutional republican, I was privileged to play a part in the negotiation of the Hillsborough Agreement, which saw the transfer of justice and policing powers from London to Belfast. This helped further consolidate the devolved institutions in Stormont and completed the transformation of policing in Northern Ireland. This also secured further cross-community support for Northern Ireland's new policing arrangements and removed any last vestige of legitimacy from those who sought to undermine the peace.

Like the Garda, the PSNI is essentially a force for good on this island. The targeting of Catholic members of the PSNI by dissident groups is not only misguided, but disgusting and morally wrong. On behalf of Fianna Fáil, I want to be crystal clear, in that there be can no justification whatsoever for threats of any description against any PSNI officer. The targeting of any officer on grounds of his or her religion is an evil and sectarian attack against the officer and genuine republican values.

We have persevered long, hard and successfully to transform policing through the implementation of the Patten report. The large increase in the number of Catholic police officers has been one of the key achievements of this transformation, helping to build mutual respect across Northern Ireland. In this regard, I will quote the wise words of a courageous woman, Mrs. Nuala Kerr, the mother of police officer Ronan Kerr, who has urged others from her community not to be deterred from joining the PSNI because of his murder. She stated:

This is at a time when we are striving for a neutral police force for the good of our country, and I urge all Catholic members not to be deterred by this. We all need to stand up and be counted and to strive for equality. We do not want to go back into the dark days again of fear and terror. We were so proud of Ronan and all that he stood for. Do not let his death be in vain.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Government for providing the time Sinn Féin requested for Teachtaí Dála to comment today on the murder of PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr on Saturday. On the day the Taoiseach was elected to office, we spoke informally for a moment. I congratulated him and he agreed to my suggestion to come north at the earliest opportunity, but none of us believed his first visit in his formal capacity as Taoiseach would be to this young man's funeral. This is a matter of deep regret.

Mar a dúirt mé níos luaithe anseo, sa Tuaisceart inné agus oíche Dé Sathairn nuair a chuala mé an scéal dona seo, tá dúnmharú Ronan Kerr mícheart. Tá Sinn Féin ag seasamh le teaghlach Kerr. Táimid leo.

On behalf of Sinn Féin, I wish to state our unequivocal condemnation of Ronan Kerr's murder. I appeal to any citizen with any information to bring it to the PSNI or An Garda Síochána. Ba mhaith liom mo chomhbhrón féin, agus comhbhrón poblachtánaigh in achan áit, a ghabháil le Nuala Kerr agus a chlann ar fad. I want to extend on my own behalf and that of republicans everywhere our solidarity and sincerest condolences to Nuala Kerr and her children, Cathair, Dairine and Aaron. Like many others I watched Nuala on television on Sunday, standing with her children beside her, speaking with love, pride and affection about Ronan. It was a desperately sad moment, made all the more poignant because it was mothers' day. Is am iontach brónach atá ann do Nuala Kerr agus dá clann.

Ronan's late father Brian came from Andersonstown in west Belfast. Tá a lán meas ag daoine ar chlann Kerr. The Kerrs are a well known and respected family. Ronan's grandparents and other family members live there and Ronan was a regular visitor. This week's Andersonstown News - the local newspaper - has photographs on its front page of Ronan's late father and his mother, Nuala, at a family reunion in the Andersonstown social club. This was formerly known as the PDF club, which used to support republican prisoners and their families and organised transport for families to visit people in Long Kesh, Armagh and Portlaoise.

Ronan was a keen GAA member. He played for Beragh Red Knights at under 12, under 14, under 16 and at minor level. He was also an enthusiastic Tyrone supporter. He was one of many young Nationalists and republicans who, following fundamental changes to policing, decided to join the PSNI. He wanted to serve his community and had just completed his training. He was 25. That means he was eight years old when the first IRA cessation was called. For most of his life and all of his short adult life, he had, like all of his generation, no experience of conflict.

Speaking on Sunday Nuala Kerr spoke for all of us when she said, as others have quoted:

It is a sad day for our community. Ronan was a valued member and he had much to offer. This is at a time when we are striving for a neutral police force for the good of our country and I urge all Catholic members not to be deterred. We all need to stand up and be counted and to strive for equality. We do not want to go back to the dark days again of fear and terror.

She is right. We all must stand up for our community every day and everywhere on this island. We must stand up for equality and a non-partisan, civic policing service in the North. We must encourage young Nationalists and republicans to join the PSNI, and I do so again today. We must confront and challenge those responsible for Ronan Kerr's murder.

The shock, outrage and anger surrounding the murder of Ronan Kerr will unite and bind together more strongly than ever before all of those who want the peace process to succeed. I was in the North yesterday and the day before and met many republicans who have suffered grievously in the conflict. These people have spent a long time in prison without trial and have had their homes raided or family members assaulted, injured or, in some cases, killed. These people are seething with anger about this. There is such evidence in communities, from the GAA and among political representatives in civic society.

We must go beyond condemnation; that is key. It is important that we spell out our feelings on what occurred but there is an imperative on every citizen to defend the peace process. That especially includes those of us honoured to be elected as political representatives, such as those of us in the Chamber and the Government as a whole. We must demonstrate to those who want to tear down the Good Friday Agreement that we are resolute and determined to defend and build on the institutions. There is an onus on all of us, especially the Government, to implement all outstanding aspects of the Good Friday Agreement and to strengthen the all-Ireland institutional structures.

I want to take this opportunity to speak directly to those responsible for violent actions and others who might tolerate them. Sinn Féin offered - through people like me and Martin McGuinness - to meet you and to outline our strategy for advancing republican and democratic objectives and our belief in the futility of armed actions. So far you have refused to speak to us, dismissed us and placed a death threat on some of us. I make the same offer again. I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with Sinn Féin and that is your right, but you have no right to attack anyone and there is no support for this. That is clear from the overwhelming public rejection of the attack which killed Ronan Kerr. The people of this island demand that you stop. I will meet you anywhere at any time to listen to what you have to say and to tell you that there is now a democratic peaceful way to unite our people and our country on the basis of equality. Your achievement has been to unite us all in opposition to your actions. It is time to end these futile attacks on the peace process; they will not succeed. Tá an cogadh thart. The war is over. The IRA is gone.

I appeal to anyone who helped in any way to assist or shelter the perpetrators of this action, or those who may in some way - in their head or from a bar stool while chatting - try to justify this action. Those who murdered Ronan Kerr are not the IRA; it has embraced, facilitated and supported the peace process. The IRA has left the stage and those who murdered Ronan Kerr have no coherent strategy and their actions do not advance any political agenda whatever. They are unrepresentative of the community and do not define republicanism. They claim to be republican but their actions are anti-republican and against peace. They are not dissidents; dissent is a good and necessary part of any democratic or social movement.

Almost 20 years ago, through a long and hard process of negotiation, effort and hard work, Sinn Féin developed a peace strategy and with others created a peace process that has brought about fundamental and positive change. Tá athraithe cuimsitheacha taréis tarlúint. Significant progress has been made, although this is a continuing struggle. One example of this is the fact that in four weeks there will be an election to the power sharing Northern Ireland Assembly and executive at the end of a successful four year term. Who could have imagined 20 years ago that Martin McGuinness could be in government with Ian Paisley or Peter Robinson, with Sinn Féin, the DUP and other parties in government? Who could have imagined the all-Ireland institutions or that the Taoiseach could be welcomed, even on a sad occasion, by every person he could meet at this sad time? That is progress and it should be developed.

The Good Friday Agreement provides a peaceful and democratic means to achieve republican objectives for those who have such goals. In referenda and in every subsequent election the people of this island have voted for this and subsequent agreements. There is no excuse, justification or explanation that can validate the murder of Ronan Kerr or any of the other actions of those involved in his killing. Our goal in the time ahead must be to defend the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement.

Nuala Kerr is right. This is a time to stand up and be counted against those who would seek to drag us back to the dark days and against those who are wedded to senseless and futile militarism. It is time to continue, as she put it, the quest for equality for all. That is the responsibility of every one of us.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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I wish to share time with Deputies Joan Collins, Luke Flanagan and Catherine Murphy. I am thankful for the opportunity to speak to this urgent and sad debate, which concerns the horrific murder of Ronan Kerr, a young PSNI officer. I offer my deepest and most sincere sympathy to his mother, brothers and sister, as well as his family and close friends. It was a nightmare for young Ronan's family that he should die in such a way.

Before I discuss the political and policing aspects of his death it is essential to state we should never forget the human aspects of the tragedy and the hurt for his family. They will never get over it and, like many victims of the Troubles and of violence, their pain and hurt will continue for a long time. It is a sad day for the whole country to see such a young man's life wasted. Those of us who strongly support Irish unity and independence totally reject such attacks. They are wrong and have no support from the vast majority of the people. It is important that the Kerr family know that in their hour of need and deep sadness.

I commend the GAA on its brave stand yesterday in speaking out on this horrific murder. It was fair, decent and right, and showed leadership when it was needed. I also commend the leadership of Sinn Féin, particularly that of Deputy Gerry Adams today in his decisive and strong statement on Ronan Kerr's murder. We need that kind of leadership in this country concerning opposition to violence when there is a political path wide open to all people on the island. The people of this country want to solve our political problems by peaceful and democratic means. If one is not happy with the lot of the political scene - I am such a person - one can join a political party or become an Independent Deputy or councillor, put one's name forward, fight for one's political corner and bring change to this country.

There are indeed choices and options. However, the blowing up of young Ronan Kerr was no such option and must be challenged in today's debate. The Good Friday Agreement is about accommodating difference and diversity, about bringing forward republican principles that are in line with the teachings of Tone and Connolly. It is about equality and respect. Saturday's killing was not about equality and respect. I belong to the Technical Group, a group of 16 Deputies who have strong differences on policy and political matters but are all united Irish men and women in the tradition of Tone and Connolly, uniting Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter. That is the way forward for Irish politics and for the country.

On the issue of policing I accept there must be major changes. The police force in the North must prove itself to be neutral and independent of politics. There has been a very sad history in that respect. Men and women in the police force must earn the respect of the community. Ronan was one of the 30% of Catholics who now make up the force. I strongly support all the parties which want to push up that figure. However, the Southern parties must change too and must actively support the peace process. All Members of this House and of the Northern Assembly must be guardians of the peace process. Otherwise there will be more Ronan Kerrs - that is the sad reality.

Again, I commend Deputy Gerry Adams. He was right to say all of us must make politics work and prove these people wrong. That is the essential point. It is not a time for sitting on the fence. We owe it to victims like Ronan Kerr. I reiterate my sincere sympathy to Nuala Kerr and all her family.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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On behalf of the People Before Profit Alliance, I condemn outright the pointless, cowardly murder of Ronan Kerr. We wish to send our deepest condolences to Ronan's mother and family who have shown great courage in what must be one of the most difficult times of their lives and one of their darkest hours of grief. This was a horrendous act and has really shocked the nation. Over the past few days many people have said to me, "What are we going back to? What are we facing into? We don't want this".

What has been termed a military campaign to drive the British out is doomed to failure. Thirty years of the Troubles demonstrated that such a campaign, based on the support of a section of the community and implacably opposed by the rest of it, could not succeed and was a failure. A so-called campaign with no support is pointless and any murder connected with it is despicable.

I note the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has called a solidarity rally in Belfast tomorrow and has asked for widespread support from trade unionists, working and unemployed people for this initiative. Such actions by trade unions have been decisive in the past in pulling Northern Ireland back from the brink and expressing solidarity towards families and communities as well as expressing opposition to murder.

We believe sincerely that unity of working people is the only way forward to achieve a lasting solution to the national question on this island. Peace must be linked to social and economic equality in the lives of the majority of people both North and South. Actions which divide working people and raise sectarian tensions are an obstacle to achieving that solution.

To Ronan's family and friends and the wider community I reiterate our sincere sympathy and our absolute condemnation of his murder.

Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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It is very sad to have to stand and talk about this matter. We had all hoped it was a thing of the past but obviously there are people who are determined it should not be. I am a parent as are many of those present. The fear of every parent is of getting a telephone call some day with bad news. That is what Nuala Kerr had to face last Saturday. It is hard enough to lose somebody connected to oneself through disease or a car crash but one must try to deal with that situation. However, the thought of having to deal with a telephone call telling one one's son has been blown up must be phenomenally difficult to handle. On behalf of the people of south Leitrim and Roscommon, on my behalf and that of my family, I wish to offer condolences to the family of Constable Kerr. He chose a path in life which was the right one and he was doing the right thing but unfortunately there were people who had a problem with that.

I condemn those whom I had intended to call animals. However, I have a dog at home and he never behaved like that. Trying to pick an adjective or superlative to describe the people who carried out this act is impossible. It is just horrible. Out of everything, however, one must try to take some hope and see some light. Some has emerged and to me the most striking was the minute's silence held at the Tyrone-Kildare game. It is not easy to keep a crowd of that size quiet, no matter what the occasion may be, but according to The Irish Times the people at the game observed the silence impeccably which shows there is some hope. There is massive hope in the condemnation of this act from all sides of the political divide in Northern Ireland. It was absolutely brilliant to hear the condemnation from Sinn Féin and from all political parties. We must take a little bit of hope from that.

Over the coming days my thoughts and those of people I know will be with Mrs. Kerr and her family. They will never get over this but I hope they know the people of the Republic of Ireland are on their side and that we do not agree with what happened. I do not believe there is anybody left in the Twenty-six Counties who does agree with it. My thoughts are with the family. I hope I will not have to stand up in this Chamber to talk about anything of this kind in the future. That would be good.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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The death of Constable Ronan Kerr in Omagh last week came as a shock, not only to his family and friends and his workmates, but to all right-thinking people who were shocked because of the motivation of those who carried out this evil deed. I cannot help but notice there is a much more sombre mood in the House today which I believe has a direct relationship to the terrible atrocity that happened on Saturday.

There is an acceptance that we simply cannot go back to the past. This was an act that would have us do just that. We cannot see another generation scarred in the same way we saw generations scarred during the years of the Troubles. We know this is what will occur unless it stops right here and now. Nuala Kerr, Ronan's mother, has asked that her son's death not be in vain. That request must be respected and supported in any way possible by the State. Her appeal was made on mothers' day, which should have been a day to celebrate with her son and the rest of her family but his life was cruelly and painfully cut short.

As news filtered out, and it was a few hours before it was clear what had happened, it did not occur to me to wonder about the religious faith of this young man. From a practical point of view, however, that mattered to those who carried out the atrocity because they do not want a shared peace. They are a tiny minority who must be completely isolated. People must come forward with any information they might have.

If evidence is needed of the progress that has been made over the years in the peace process, the statement by the Ulster Council of the GAA was it. The GAA was set up as part of the Gaelic revival of the 19th century and the GAA statement would not have been considered possible just a few short years ago when police officers were banned from playing Gaelic games, Catholics did not join the police and religion and policing were intertwined. Those have all changed, and we should celebrate that. We must not and cannot return to those days.

I express my sympathies to the Kerr family on the loss of a son and a brother, to his friends and to the PSNI on the loss of a colleague.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I want to begin my remarks by echoing the words of sympathy of the Taoiseach and others to the family of Constable Ronan Kerr. This is a terrible tragedy; terrible for his mother Nuala, terrible for Cathair, Dairine and Aaron, terrible for his community, for his colleagues North and South, and terrible for all of us on this island. We have been here before in this House, many times, but the contemplation of criminal terrorism never gets any easier. Two years ago we mourned the deaths of Constable Stephen Carroll and of the two young soldiers, Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar.

Ronan Kerr was a young Catholic man whose only wish was to serve his community. That he chose to do so by joining the Police Service of Northern Ireland is a sign of how far the people of Northern Ireland have embraced hope. That he now lies dead is a sign of the despair into which these criminal terrorists wish to drag us.

As of yet there has been no claim of responsibility for this attack. So-called "dissident republicans" have been blamed. I say "so-called" because these groups debase both words. Historically, the term "dissident" was a badge of honour for those who opposed tyranny. These people, however, are dissenting from democracy itself. Their campaign of violence is designed to set at nothing the will of the Irish people. Other Members have today made similar comments.

Respect for democracy is fundamental to true republicanism. The perpetrators of this attack need to ask themselves who exactly they represent. At what point did their confused, totalitarian form of supposed republicanism become so perverted, so dogmatic, that its total rejection by their fellow countrymen and women became irrelevant?

In reality, the people who make up these groups are no more than criminal terrorists, whose activities are often inextricably linked with organised crime. While it is right that we in this House, on behalf of the people we represent, express our condemnation as strongly as we can, the unpalatable fact is that the people involved in these acts have so far proved impervious to the appeals of people from all backgrounds to stop the violence.

It is important, therefore, that we offer reassurance that the forces of law and order are doing everything possible, within the rule of law, to take on this threat. The Garda Commissioner yesterday briefed us fully on the security situation and on the steps being taken, in concert with the PSNI, to counteract terrorist activities and to assist in the investigation of this crime.

The Garda Síochána are constantly engaged in an intensive anti- and counter-terrorist effort against these organisations. It is of course the case that the range of measures made available to the gardaí to counter terrorist activity, including for example the powers available under the original Offences Against the State Acts, including the use of the Special Criminal Court, have been retained. I will be asking the House soon to renew the provisions of the legislation enacted after the earlier atrocity in Omagh in 1998.

The gardaí are using these measures wherever appropriate to do so. Over the last 18 months, around 100 people have been arrested in connection with such activities. Currently, 43 people are charged before the Special Criminal Court and 54 people are imprisoned having been convicted of offences relating to terrorist activity. Let me put it as plainly as I can: we will stop at nothing, within the rule of law, to defeat these groups.

I can also tell the House that I spoke with Northern Ireland Minister of Justice David Ford last Saturday, very shortly after the dreadful atrocity took place, and later that night with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. I expressed my sympathy to them for the loss of this young officer. I also reiterated the Government's commitment to supporting the Chief Constable and his officers, not just in the investigation into this tragedy, but in general. I know that I speak for the Garda Commissioner in saying that we stand foursquare behind the PSNI. In this regard I can do no better than to quote the Commissioner himself, who, after speaking to Chief Constable Baggott on Saturday, stated that the two police forces on this island are bound together by a shared resolve and determination to bring those responsible for this crime to justice.

As the House knows, the honour of being Minister with responsibility for the Garda Síochána, and for the security of the State, has been mine for only a short time. One of my first actions was to travel to Belfast to meet with the northern Minister for Justice, David Ford. The Garda Commissioner and the Chief Constable of the PSNI accompanied us to that meeting and shared a frank assessment of the threat posed by the small number of criminal terrorists who continue to operate in both jurisdictions.

I was struck at that meeting by the obvious closeness of the relationship between the two police forces on this island, and the obvious commitment of the Commissioner and Chief Constable to working together. While security cooperation remains and must remain a particular priority - a fact brought into stark focus by the tragic death of Constable Kerr - it is clear to me that this commitment to work together extends to cover the full range of police work. The excellent relationship which exists between the two police forces has not arisen by accident and no-one should underestimate the efforts that have gone into getting us to where we are. As Minister I am now in a position to see at close quarters, and to support, the hard work and dedication that is necessary to make such a relationship work, and the abundance of goodwill between the two police forces which provides the base upon which good cooperation can be built and maintained.

One embodiment of this is the recent publication of the first formal cross-Border policing strategy. This new strategy shows the breadth of cooperation that exists and the determination of both police forces to use all the tools available to them to ensure that those who would seek to exploit the Border for criminal and terrorist purposes will not succeed.

The House should be in no doubt about the extent of the involvement of these groups in a range of criminal activities, including robbery, extortion, smuggling and kidnapping. To put it simply, on one side of the equation lies democracy, the Good Friday Agreement and the clearly-expressed desire for peace of the majority of the people of Ireland, and of every political party represented in the Oireachtas and at Stormont; on the other side lies a small number of unreconstructed criminal terrorists who appear to believe that robbery and kidnapping are legitimate steps on the road to Irish unity.

The people who carried out this barbaric attack have no coherent political position, no points of principle that any decent person could recognise. All they seem to believe in is the death of fellow Irishmen and women. Let us be clear about it in the context of what occurred at the weekend; this was killing for killing's sake. That they claim to carry out these attacks in the name of the Irish people, the same people who have roundly and categorically rejected them, is quite frankly sickening.

I say it again, the idea that the so-called dissidents are dissenting from is called democracy. There could be no greater contrast between the cowardly futility which these groups display and the brave words of Ronan Kerr's mother, Nuala, when, at a time of unbearable grief, she concentrated on doing good for the community, just as her son tried to do. If anyone who was involved in this killing had any remaining ounce of humanity they would have hung their heads in shame when they heard Nuala Kerr's words. She said, "We were so proud of Ronan and all that he stood for." So are we in this House. She said, "Do not let his death be in vain." It will not be. It has made us all the stronger in our determination that the evil behind it will not prevail. It has made us stronger in our determination that democracy will prevail and that peace on this island will be maintained.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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I dtús báire, ba mhaith liom dúnmharú Rónán Kerr a cháineadh. Ní éireoidh leis mar tá dúil ag muintir na hÉireann síochán sa tír seo a neartú. I offer my condolences to the family of constable Ronan Kerr, to his mother, Nuala, his sister, Dairine, and his brothers, Cathair and Aaron. This is a horrible nightmare for any family to go through, especially a family which only recently suffered the heartbreak of losing a loved one; Ronan's father, Brian who passed way away two years ago. In particular, I pay tribute to Nuala Kerr for the manner in which she has spoken about her son's death. Urging other young Catholics not to be deterred from joining the Police Service of Northern Ireland she stated:

we are striving for a neutral police force for the good of our country, and I urge all Catholic members not to be deterred by this. We all need to stand up and be counted and to strive for equality. We don't want to go back into the dark days again of fear and terror.

It never ceases to amaze me how some people manage to provide inspiration at a time when they have been rocked by grief and tragedy.

Constable Kerr had been in the force only for a few weeks when he was killed but it was clear that he had already left an indelible impression on his colleagues. The PSNI Chief Constable, Matt Baggott, described him as a modern-day hero. His decision to join the PSNI was a testament to his courage and to the strength of the peace process.

It is difficult to find words to express the horror and revulsion caused by the murder of this brave young man, committed to protecting his community. Civic, religious and political leaders have all come together to condemn this atrocity. However, a picture is worth 1,000 words. The sight of senior and local members of the GAA gathered together at constable Kerr's Beragh Red Knights club yesterday sent a powerful message to those responsible for Ronan Kerr's murder to the effect that their acts would not be tolerated. The chairman of the Beragh club, Gearóid Ó Treasaigh, described Ronan Kerr as "a Catholic, an Irishman and a Gael, who joined the PSNI because he wanted to play his part in making our society a better place". Perhaps the Ulster GAA president, Aogan Ó Fearghaíl put it best when he stated: "when one of our members is attacked, and when our communities are attacked, we are all attacked".

As well as the Kerr family, my thoughts are with the people of Omagh at this difficult time. In the words of Michael Gallagher, who lost his 21 year old son in the Real IRA blast which killed 29 people and unborn twins in 1998, Ronan Kerr's murder is a "double insult" to the town of Omagh. That Omagh should once again become the backdrop to another atrocity is unspeakable. Just as the community thought they had put their worst days behind them, they find themselves confronted by more horror.

Apart from its cruelty, one of the most striking things about the murder of Ronan Kerr is its absolute futility. It appears these dissidents believe that by targeting Catholic members of the PSNI young men will seek to leave the service while other young Catholics will be deterred from joining the force in the first place. Ronan Kerr was proof that this strategy will not work. The murder of police constable Stephen Carroll two years ago and the maiming of Peadar Heffron, not to mention the other attempted attacks such as the attach on a woman officer in Kilkeel, County Down, last August, did not deter Ronan from joining. These atrocities did not weaken the resolve of the community and the police force then and they will not do so now.

Figures show that Catholic participation has been increasing at a steady pace since the PSNI was formed in 2001. As the First Minister, Peter Robinson, stated at the press conference at Stormont yesterday, "all they have done is strengthen the institutions that we have, unite our community, bring politicians closer together, and make sure there is a united response in support of the PSNI". The press conference yesterday at which the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, First Minister, Peter Robinson, the Minister for Justice, David Ford and the PSNI Chief Constable, Matt Baggott, all stood shoulder to shoulder further underlines the futility of the dissidents' strategy. The murder of Stephen Carroll prompted a similar press conference as well as widespread condemnation. Why do these dissidents believe it will be any different this time? How can these people believe they have any real support among the community? Do they really believe their strategy will work? The murder of constable Kerr should not be interpreted as a sign that the peace process is faltering but that it is working well, too well for those who oppose it.

While we express our sympathy to the family of Ronan Kerr and our condemnation of his murder, the best way to stand up to those responsible is to ensure they are brought before the courts of justice. The only way to achieve this is through the provision of information to the police authorities. I echo the calls of the PSNI and the Garda Síochána for anyone with information to come forward. This is an opportunity for people to stand up to the dissidents. I understand that people are scared to come forward. In my constituency in Limerick I have seen how fear can be instilled in a community by those who believe they are above the law. However, those who are afraid should be reminded that they can provide information anonymously. I welcome the fact that Crimestoppers announced today that it is offering a £50,000 reward for information that will help detectives catch Ronan Kerr's killers. It is heartening that following the murder of Stephen Carroll in March 2009, the community came forward with information and it seems a court case may be underway in the near future.

A further concerning aspect is the increased sophistication of the dissidents. It appears their bomb making and engineering capabilities have improved significantly. The PSNI has described as substantial the device that killed Constable Kerr. There is a concern that dissidents are using under-car bombs which are miniature in nature and more difficult to detect. The PSNI is currently examining evidence from the bombing at the weekend and more information will be available in time.

Faced with the growing capabilities of the dissidents, it is important that co-operation between the police forces and justice Departments North and South is maintained at the unprecedented level set by the previous Government. According to media reports, Garda Commissioner, Martin Callinan, and PSNI Chief Constable, Matt Baggott, are liaising closely, while anti-terrorist officers from both police forces are working together in an effort to identify the bombers as well. The words of the Garda Commissioner, Mr. Callinan, during the weekend should leave people in no doubt as to the level of co-operation between the two forces. He stated:

we in An Garda Síochána stand together with our colleagues in the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Our uniforms may be woven from different cloth, but the police on this island are bound together by a shared resolve and determination to bring those responsible for this senseless crime to justice.

As recently as last November, the second formal meeting of the cross-Border criminal justice ministerial group, under the auspices of the intergovernmental agreement on co-operation on criminal justice matters, was held in Dublin. The intergovernmental agreement provides a framework for co-operation on criminal justice matters and provides for at least one ministerial meeting per year between the Ministers North and South who receive reports from a working group made up of senior officials from both jurisdictions. At this meeting the Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford stated: "Co-operation between criminal justice organisations on both sides of the Border has never been better." He also pointed out that there is "good day-to-day co-operation across the criminal justice system". Following his first official meeting with his Northern counterpart last month, the new Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, paid tribute to the excellent relations between the two police forces, stating that he was "struck by the high level of cooperation taking place". I urge the new Government to continue to support the ever improving relationship between the two forces and I trust this will be matched by a determination at political level to facilitate co-operation in every way possible. I conclude by expressing once again my absolute revulsion at the futile and cold blooded murder of Constable Ronan Kerr. My thoughts and prayers are with the Kerr family at this very difficult time.

Joe O'Reilly (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I wish to share time with four minutes each for Deputy Griffin and I and two minutes for my constituency colleague, Deputy Sean Conlan. I take this opportunity to offer my sincere condolences to Nuala, Ronan's mother, to Cathair, Aaron and Dairine. They lost a son, a brother and a friend and the PSNI has lost an excellent officer. Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam. At 4 p.m. last Saturday, the PSNI lost one of its newest members, 25 year old constable Ronan Kerr. Ronan was in the service only for a few months when his life was cruelly taken from him in a barbaric act by individuals who can only be described as enemies of peace. The bomb was the size of a lunch box and weighed 500g but it was enough to fatally injure the young constable. As a representative of a Border county, I can say without hesitation that this heinous act has been met with abhorrence across the Border, North and South. The actions and views of the individuals who carried out this attack do not represent the feelings of the majority of people in the North or in the South. A Facebook page dedicated to the memory of Ronan has already attracted more than 24,000 people. That is an indication of the level of condemnation of the atrocity by members of the wider public. Young Unionists and republicans in Northern Ireland wear their PSNI uniforms with pride, and rightly so, as they represent all that is positive about the ethos of the Good Friday Agreement and the continual striving for peace in Northern Ireland.

The Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, said:

Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past. They are acting in defiance of the Irish people.

I fully endorse that statement.

Those who carried out this crime have no place in the future of either Northern Ireland or the continuing work that is being done by the peace process. They betrayed their community and those who have strived for peace in the North for decades and in recent years. They will not and must not succeed in quenching the democratic will of the people of the North.

Dr. Seamus Hegarty, Bishop of Derry, has pleaded with any young Catholic person considering joining the PSNI not to be deterred from serving the public and his or her community. We must do everything in our power to prevent us going backwards. The radical ideas of the past do not reflect a united vision for the future, which is what we need. The peace process got its ultimate endorsement in the massive endorsement, North and South, of the Good Friday Agreement. This Agreement needs to be constantly worked on at community level. It needs an exchange of visits between people North and South, an interaction by communities and schools, further injecting of moneys and the building of communities North and South.

The best and ultimate tribute we can pay to Constable Kerr is that we will work for peace, build peace in our own communities and build links between the North and the South. A start has been made this evening and working to build peace is the ultimate tribute in how we can best respect the memory of Constable Kerr.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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The cruel murder of Constable Ronan Kerr in Omagh on Saturday has once again reminded us of the need to convey the pointlessness of violence as a means of political change on this island.

Ronan Kerr, like myself, was a child of the 1980s, a decade that saw some horrendous atrocities carried out on this island in the name of one cause or another. Us children born in the 1980s are the youngest who can still recall the darkness and despair of the Troubles. Ronan Kerr would have been eight years old when the first IRA ceasefire was announced in August 1994 and was 12 when the real IRA bombed his hometown of Omagh killing 29 innocent people and an unborn child in 1998. The children of the 1980s hope that we are the last to witness the depravity that has plagued this island for decades. It is our hope that those born after the 1980s will never see what we can still recall from our childhood.

Ronan Kerr was one of us and from what I have learned in the past three days he was a patriot and a man who believed in the rule of law, fairness and equality. It is galling that we are once again visited with the shock, sadness and outrage of an honourable man slain in the course of his duty to his community. Will those who were responsible for this despicable act of cowardice ever learn that such actions achieve no good for anyone of any ideology, religious persuasion or background.

On my way from Kerry to Dublin this morning I paused briefly at the memorial plaque in honour of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in Adare. As I read the plaque I thought how pointless was his murder and how sad it is that such pointless acts are still occurring on this island at this time.

There is no popular desire on this island to return to the horror and sadness of the past. The youngest generation on this island wish to live their lives free of the savagery of the past. Those who cannot recall are well aware of the hurt, agony and pain of the Troubles. However, those who are not aware must be reminded.

It is with huge regret that in my maiden speech in Dáil Éireann I offer my condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Constable Ronan Kerr. Let his death be the last such death on this island.

Seán Conlan (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I wish to express my sincere condolences to the family of Ronan Kerr. This is a great tragedy for the Kerr family and for the people of Northern Ireland. I want to state clearly that the majority of the people along the Border do not share the views of the people who carried out this act. It achieves nothing. It does not bring a united Ireland one day closer. It was a futile act.

I know that Ronan spent some of his childhood visiting his relatives in County Monaghan. Along with Border people I was in Beragh yesterday evening. What has happened is a disgrace. I hope if one thing is learned from this it is the futility of what has happened. We can never go back to the days of the past when these events happened on a regular basis. It serves no purpose. Nobody wants it.

I express my sympathy on behalf of my constituents and the people of County Monaghan on the death of Ronan.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Before I call Deputy McDonald, I remind the House that the Standing Order provides that a Minister or Minister of State should address the House at 6.45 p.m. However, I understand the Tánaiste wishes to have 12 minutes speaking time, which affords Deputy McDonald three additional minutes.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I will be mindful of the clock. I join in the expressions of sympathy to the Kerr family at this dark and traumatic time for them. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of this young police officer.

Ronan was just 25 when he joined the new policing service in the North of Ireland last May. In a spirit of public service he joined the PSNI to both protect and serve the community and to define and create a better future in a peaceful and equal society.

Ronan represented a new generation of Irish youth. I call them the peace process generation, a generation eager for change, filled with belief and confidence and ready to take on the challenge, however great, to achieve that change, a generation determined to draw a line under the past with its conflict and injustices and to create a new Ireland.

The many public tributes to Ronan give us the measure of the man. A beloved son and brother, a respected member of his local community and a member of the GAA from the age of five and through his club, Beragh Red Knights, he made a significant contribution to Gaelic sports and culture. His death is a huge loss to his club, community and county of Tyrone.

Those individuals who orchestrated and carried out this act offer nothing - no direction, no hope and no regard for republican values, which they have sought to debase through Ronan's murder. They have betrayed the community. They set themselves above and against the will of the people of Ireland. No cause is served by their actions. There can be no shelter or succour given to the perpetrators of this act. There is no rationale or excuse - such as that of misguided loyalties - to prevent anything other than full co-operation with the PSNI and the Garda Síochána in their pursuit of those individuals.

The efforts of a small group of people to promote division and conflict will fail. They will not thwart our determination to bring about political change, they will not blunt the people's demand for a new Ireland and they will not subvert republicanism for their own narrow selfish ends because we will not allow them to do so. The process of peace-building will continue. The Sinn Féin position in respect of this killing and all other such actions is unequivocal: our condemnation is absolute. All attacks of this nature are wrong and cannot be justified. Sinn Féin supports the efforts of the police service in bringing those responsible before the courts.

The North has changed and continues to change. The new political dispensation, so painstakingly and courageously built over a long period, is supported by the majority of citizens across Ireland. A new era, with a new civic and accountable policing service, is a key component of this. Young Nationalists and republicans must continue to take their place in the PSNI. We, as politicians, have an obligation to ensure this remains possible. That makes it all the more urgent that the Government should address with the British authorities their unilateral decision to remove the 50-50 recruitment relating to the PSNI.

Our political direction can be only forward. There will be no return to the past. The war is over. People across Ireland, particularly those in County Tyrone, are very angry. Today, we condemn the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr and we unite in solidarity with his heartbroken family. However, we must do more than that. Rhetoric is not enough. Horror and revulsion, though understandable, are also not sufficient. The peace process, the process of power-sharing and the all-Ireland political institutions must be defended.

I am heartened by the Taoiseach's commitment to defend the peace process and to ensure the full implementation of the British-Irish Agreement and the St. Andrews Agreement. He must live up to that commitment. The Minister for Justice and Equality and everyone else must understand that it is the political process and the triumph of democracy which will see off these fringe and minority elements who have turned their face against the peace process. Irish republicans have charted a peaceful and a democratic path to Irish unity. They have been architects of the peace process and they will defend it against all comers.

Constable Ronan Kerr rest in peace. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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As a previous speaker stated, this is the type of discussion in which we had hoped we would never be obliged to engage again in the House. I join Members from all parties in turning my thoughts to Ronan Kerr and his grieving family. We offer our profound sympathy to Ronan's family, his friends and the PSNI on the loss of a beloved son, brother, friend and colleague. Members all share the sense of loss.

Ronan Kerr was a young and public-spirited man. On Saturday last, the evil actions of a few deprived the people of this island of a fine Irishman and a committed public servant, a policeman who sought to devote himself to the protection and well-being of his community. His murderers robbed Ronan of his life. They robbed Ronan's mother of her son and the happiness that had come with seeing her child grow to maturity and fulfilment. The individuals to whom I refer robbed Ronan's brothers and sister of the love and companionship of their big brother. However, they also robbed every one of us on this island of the potential which Ronan's life held and all that his life might have been.

We in this House stand together to make clear our absolute condemnation of this crime and of those who committed it. The unity of the message which has come from those on all sides of the Chamber is unsurprising and reflects the genuine shock, sorrow and disbelief of those we represent that such an atrocity should occur. We stand together with people from all sides of the community in Northern Ireland and with their elected representatives. Once again they have shown their strength of purpose and their determination to preserve and protect the peace which has been achieved on our island. Once again this House has shown its determination to work tirelessly to ensure this island which we all share will have an ever hopeful future and that we will not be dragged back to the violence of the past.

On Sunday last I spoke to the First Minister, Mr. Peter Robinson, MLA, and the Deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin McGuinness, MLA, and I am aware that the shared sense of purpose, North and South, is deeply valued. I also spoke to the Secretary of State, Mr. Owen Paterson, on Saturday last. As co-guarantors of the British-Irish Agreement, the Irish and British Governments will continue to work together to support the Executive in order to ensure that the potential of the Agreement for a shared and better future will be fully realised. This tiny minority, without conscience or mandate, will not be allowed to deflect or deter the work of a generation of Irish men and women.

Ronan Kerr chose to build a career in a transformed police service increasingly representative of the entire community and supported across the political spectrum. It is this very openness - this positive change - that Ronan's murderers fear. As a result, they seek to deny change through callous acts of violence and intimidation. However, they will not succeed because the ordinary men and women of this island will not allow them to do so. We will not be bullied back down the blind alleys of the past. We the people of Ireland, North and South, set our course for change when we adopted the British-Irish Agreement. We opted for peace, reconciliation and a shared future within agreed political structures. We took our decision democratically, through the ballot box - that most definitive, effective and enduring of all political weapons.

I join Ronan's brave mother, Nuala, in her call for us all to "stand up and be counted". We will stand up together, whether northerner, southerner, Nationalist, republican, Unionist, loyalist, Catholic, Protestant or none of the above. We will stand up together for peace for ourselves and our children, for justice for Ronan Kerr's family and in support of the men and women in the PSNI and the Garda Síochána. I join all of those who have called on anyone with information about Ronan's murder to contact their local police force. I echo the Kerr family's message to Catholic and Nationalist members of the PSNI not to be deterred by this attack.

On behalf of the Government, I encourage men and women on all sides of the community in Northern Ireland, but particularly those from the Nationalist and republican traditions, to continue to apply to join the PSNI - their own police force, an Irish police force - in ever-increasing numbers. I encourage their families and their communities to support them and to be rightly proud of any son or daughter who wishes to play his or her part in assisting and protecting their fellow citizens.

Those who murdered Ronan will undoubtedly attempt to style themselves as republicans fighting for Ireland. It is difficult to express the anger and sadness which such a claim evokes in any genuine patriot. To commit violent acts in direct contravention of the democratically expressed will of the people of all 32 counties of the island is perverse. To claim to be opposing British rule by seeking to undermine the constitutional and political settlement freely chosen by the people of Ireland - and them alone - is absurd. To assert that the goal is a united Ireland when every action aims to divide is illogical. What is the Ireland these people seek to build? I have no answer and neither do they. They can only destroy, maim and frighten and have not the stomach or the skills for the real work of nation building.

Those of us who truly aspire to unite all the people of this island, in all the diversity of their identities and traditions, know the path. It is one of peaceful means, compromise and political persuasion. It is neither glamorous nor quick but it is true patriotism. True republicanism does not seek glory or expedience but looks to the national interest and to the good of the citizen. Constable Ronan Kerr epitomised many of the ideals of our republic. We will not allow those who murdered him to besmirch the name of Ireland or its citizens by wrapping a green flag around their shameful act.

I have seen at first hand the deep well of goodwill and support for the peace process that exists beyond these islands, and particularly in the United States of America. Secretary of State Clinton and the Friends of Ireland congressional group have condemned the murder of Ronan Kerr in the strongest terms and made clear their unstinting support for Northern Ireland's political leadership and the peace process. I draw the attention of the House to the words of Congressman Richard E. Neal who, I believe, perfectly captures the feelings of Irish people at home and abroad. He stated:

Those responsible for this murder are cowards. If these criminals think they are going to turn back the clock and stop the change that is happening across Northern Ireland they are mistaken. They have no support on the island of Ireland and they have no support in the United States of America. Quite simply, they are on the wrong side of history and they must be brought to justice. The overwhelming majority of the people in Northern Ireland support the democratic institutions and want peace and reconciliation. The United States supports their hopes and aspirations during this sad and difficult hour. We will continue to stand with them as they work together to transform their society and to build a shared future.

This evening, all of us in this House have expressed that willingness to stand together. I note the comments of Deputy Martin, who said we want to send a clear message. I thank him for his support of the Government in any measure needed to combat those who are responsible. Earlier today, Deputy Martin and others proposed that an all-Party motion be tabled. I understand arrangements are being made to do that tomorrow. A draft is in circulation and I think it will be agreed formally. It will express the unanimous and strong views of the House condemning the murder of Ronan Kerr, expressing our sympathy with his family, friends and colleagues and calling for those responsible to be brought to justice.

I listened to the contribution of Deputy Adams, who also unequivocally condemned the murder. I heard his comments recalling his party's offer to meet some of the groups who reject the Good Friday Agreement. That offer is helpful and should be supported. There can be no doubt of where Deputy Adams stands on this issue. I heard his comments.

It is clear that the House strongly and unanimously condemns this murder and supports the efforts of the PSNI and the Garda Síochána in bringing those responsible to justice. I expect that, tomorrow morning, we will agree the motion reflecting those sentiments.

I thank all Members who contributed to the debate.