Seanad debates

Thursday, 8 May 2003

Northern Ireland: Statements.

 

I accept that much progress has been made by the republican movement. To say, however, that the IRA is determined not to do anything which would undermine the process reserves for that organisation the right to make that judgment. What the IRA has stated is not adequate. It must state that it is determined to stop all paramilitary activity. It can use whatever language it wishes and I do not care if it dresses it up in wonderful republican rhetoric. That is not the issue. There must be an unambiguous assertion that a historic breaking-point has been reached and that one particular organisation – which everybody, including the Sinn Féin leadership, accepts is part of history – agrees that it is its role to be part of history. The members of that organisation can judge the content of such a statement as they see fit and we can judge it in a different way.

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