Maurice Hayes (Independent)

I, too, support the request for a debate on Northern Ireland, which is timely. There is never a good time to do it but there is no point in putting it off. We did have a truncated debate just before the adjournment and the peace process is in rather worse condition that it was then and than we had hoped and anticipated. Like other Senators, I hope we can have a debate that avoids recrimination. The parties are recriminating each other too much already. A mutual trend among them is that one sees the other as offering too little too late and itself as offering too much too early. Although the Easter break was a disappointing period and some silly things were said, we recognise that some useful things were said also. It is important to try find our way out or help the parties to find their way out of the impasse.

I support Senator Ó Murchú in saying we should not bring emotion into the debate. One cannot begin to talk about Bloody Sunday and the Stevens report without also talking about bloody Friday, bloody Wednesday and every bloody day of the week during the years through which we all had to live. Equally, while we deplore yesterday's attack on democracy, we must recognise that any bomb anywhere is an attack on democracy and we should not be more self-important about the fact that it takes place outside the back door of Leinster House than other instances.

It is important for the Government to try to tell us where it sees the process going, what people can sensibly do and whether it is time to batten down the hatches and make complaints. A quiet, reasoned, sensible debate which seeks answers, recognises that we are where we are and progresses without recrimination would be helpful and should be expedited.