Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

Given that the Government has now, thankfully, yielded on this cutback against widows, what about the other 15 cutbacks that were announced in the Social Welfare Bill and in the Finance Bill this year? When will we see the other about-turn on those measures? Will the Leader provide time for the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to come into the House to state categorically that the Government will bring in legislation to allow for this U-turn so that widows will not lose out financially? It is important that she is on the record of this House in that regard rather than running outside the House on Spy Wednesday and leaving her colleagues in the lurch.

On an entirely separate matter, on Tuesday Senators Ó Murchú and Bradford raised the issue of the way we deal with victims of the 35 years or so of violence in Northern Ireland. There is an open debate on this issue. A former leader of my party has outlined his support for a truth and reconciliation commission. I remain to be convinced of the need for such a commission but it appears that if we are to have an inquiry in respect of one of the unfortunate victims caught up in the Northern Ireland situation we must have an inquiry in respect of all the victims. There would be merit in this House debating the way we deal with the victims of Northern Ireland violence because they are the forgotten group. They have not been dealt with adequately in the context of the Good Friday Agreement and if there is to be any review of the Agreement, we need to review how we deal with the victims of that violence, North and South. We cannot have a hierarchy of victims. We cannot ensure that one group of victims is dealt with by way of an inquiry while another group is forgotten. A debate on that matter in the House would be very useful because there are many voices which would add to such a debate.