Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

I regard Senator Finucane as an honourable and decent gentleman and I have always found him to be so. The graphic description of his personal ideal would touch any heart. In a way it is indicative that at the root of seeking solutions there is the human element as well in the suffering people have gone through.

Last year I was invited to give an oration at two commemorations in Ireland of two Irish leaders who took opposing sides in the Civil War, one was General Liam Lynch and the other was Major General Donnacha O'Hannigan. My background would be republican and that would be my outlook. When I was unveiling the plaque to Major General O'Hannigan, I made the point that I felt at present we were experiencing a confluence of eras and aspirations.

The Civil War was a terrible time in Ireland where brother fought brother, family fought family and some terrible things were done in the name of Ireland. If one reads the debates of that time, it is easy to be circumspect and say that people made very wise comments and were very forgiving and accommodating against that tragic background, and that is true. There is an echo of that today in trying to find a solution to the long-standing Northern Ireland problem. I genuinely believe that and have said so on several occasions here, including on the Order of Business in recent times.

I salute all men and women of all shades of political opinion and those of no political opinion who have made a contribution to bringing us to where we are today. We have come a long way from that infamous dictum of a former British Prime Minister when she told us "out, out, out" in respect of every effort that was being made to try to stop what was happening here, to try to bring about a just society and above all else to establish a permanent peace.

We are down to the specifics in our discussions and because of that to some extent it gets more difficult. When one talks in general terms or to some extent embraces rhetoric, it is much easier. However, when one comes down to decisions and the things one has to do, which go against the grain of what one believes in and stands for, that is when it gets particularly difficult.

At the beginning of the peace process I invited David Irvine to Dublin. One would have associated him with the loyalist side of the dispute in Northern Ireland. On that occasion Senator Mansergh chaired a debate. About 200 people turned up for it and they were not the type of people who usually attended such a debate. I was surprised at the type of people who came along from industry, the arts and other walks of life. They were not prompted to come, they had only become aware of the debate. This group was a microcosm of Ireland. It was not a focused audience from one particular aspect or one political group.

I particularly praise the Taoiseach and all those who have been involved in the process. It is my firm hope that we do not lose the opportunity to grasp the prize. I met a group of community activists form Belfast today. They made the same point that Senator Mansergh made. They said that so much has been given by the Nationalist community that at times they do not feel that has been reciprocated. They said in particular they are subject still to brutality at the hands of loyalist mobs. I am only making this point to illustrate that when we are trying to come to a conclusion, every aspect of the picture must be taken on board. That will be the sacrifice and the difficulty. The tone of this debate indicated quite clearly that we will stay together in that effort.