Shane Ross (Independent)

I had not intended to speak in this debate. Having read the Taoiseach's speech, while I supported a great deal of what he did for many years – his consistency and lack of one-sidedness – I have to say this is the most one-sided speech I have heard in this House from a Taoiseach. It is most disappointing. I do not know who wrote it for him. I do not believe his scriptwriters in the past would have produced anything so one-sided.

I want to go through the speech in my two minutes, echo what Senator Norris said and be a bit more specific. There is not a single sentence which holds out the hand of friendship to the Unionists. There is not a single sentence of condemnation of Sinn Féin or the IRA. That is quite extraordinary in the present circumstances, where the Unionist people in Northern Ireland have taken what they believe is kick after kick in the stomach from the IRA. Let there be no doubt that the IRA is active.

If his speech is read in Northern Ireland the Taoiseach will cause immense disappointment. He talks about the approaches to Unionists being frustrated. He goes on to say that devolved government, despite the misgivings of Unionists, will work. That is pejorative. He talks about the IRA's withdrawal from the independent commission on arms as being "disappointing" and then praises them. "The IRA's acts of decommissioning unfortunately," he says "were not matched." These great men are responsible for the deaths of 3,000 people – it is more actually – and unfortunately their acts were not matched. Their decommissioning was not matched. Will the Cathaoirleach let me finish?