Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

The last remark by Senator Jim Walsh is a good place from which to start. He mentioned, as did many speakers, the Good Friday Agreement. There was a great sense of hope and optimism when it was signed. The extent to which it was supported, particularly in this part of the country, was an indication of how much the wider community felt on the issue. People want to move on from an era of bloodshed and division into a period of constitutional politics and democracy, to a point where the killing is left behind. and where at least we are united in terms of hearts and minds if not allegiance. We are a long way from getting rid of the Border, if that is the stated ambition.

However, there is a strong sense among people, particularly in recent months, that we are being used in a duplicitous fashion. Public reaction to any notice of the release of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe's killers is indicative of how strongly people feel on the issue. In negotiations there is a line beyond which one cannot go. While the Taoiseach rightly says that we want to see the end of paramilitarism and must move towards that goal, one can give too much away. There are times when one must hold the line. It is difficult to accept what is happening in the democratic process leading to the local and European elections as Sinn Féin parades around like a democratic constitutional party. The party has Members in the other House. It takes on the trappings, but not the responsibility, of democracy. Until it does so with the end of paramilitarism, as the Minister rightly said, we are in a very strange situation whereby we have within our political and constitutional establishment a party which does not fully subscribe to the Constitution. The Minister has been vociferous in putting it up to Sinn Féin. We must do likewise and must ask the public to do so too.