Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

Does the Leader agree that there is something menacing and threatening about the IRA statement issued last night? It is clear from it that the IRA still has not gone away despite the fact that it initially called a ceasefire more than ten years ago and that in 1998 the people North and South voted for the Good Friday Agreement and called on both Governments to implement it.

I will make three suggestions which I hope will be helpful to the Government. I ask the Government to consider reconvening the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation. This could bridge the current gap in the peace process by allowing all democratic parties on the island to come together and state unequivocally what is required of Sinn Féin-IRA before the process can go further.

I ask the Taoiseach to make a statement in the next day or so stating unequivocally that the concessions both Governments were prepared to grant IRA-Sinn Féin before Christmas, including the early release of the killers of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe and a measure concerning those who describe themselves as "on the run", will be removed immediately from any possible discussions or negotiations with Sinn Féin-IRA. Does the Leader agree that a genuine debate among all politicians is required on the proposition that one grouping, a minority of the people, can hold the entire peace process to ransom because it is not prepared to move just yet? That position is not tenable in the long term and a debate, such as that held in the House last night, is needed.

On a positive note, we learned yesterday that a summit will be held in Egypt next week between the new Palestinian President and the Israeli Prime Minister. Given the interest of Senators in the conflict in the Middle East and the interest in the peace process here, the House should wish those talks well. I hope all the parties can again re-engage with the two-state solution to the problem in the Middle East.