Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

Senator Finucane spoke last week of the shocking practice of young men being brutalised by these paramilitary organisations. The Sinn Féin Party likes to lecture us about human rights violations in Colombia. However, it does not want to deal with its own human rights violations on this island. We should debate this matter. It is time for both Governments to come down hard on political parties that are inextricably linked to paramilitary organisations. Those parties must decide, once and for all, whether they are on or off the peace train. The Leader must respond to this suggestion.

The Forum for Peace and Reconciliation should be reconvened so that Nationalist Ireland, on both sides of the Border, can make a clear and unequivocal statement about the ending of violence in this country. I am sick to the teeth of some political parties lecturing this State about corruption and human rights violations when their own political buddies are involved in these activities day in, day out. This must be brought to an end. We all had to sit back and bite our tongues for the past ten years or so while one political party decided when to move on the issue of violence. It is time for us to speak with one voice and demand a complete end to acts of terrorism and paramilitarism as soon as possible. That statement should come from this House.