John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

The House and the island as a whole, whether North or South, owes the McCartney family a considerable debt of gratitude because it would have been very easy for them to assent to the obscenity of the IRA's statement. One can readily appreciate the pressure they would come under within their own community. It is remarkable that they have resisted that pressure from beginning to end and for that reason they are to be applauded.

It is amazing that the IRA should decide that people should be shot for alleged crimes. We have to proclaim in these Houses the rule of law, both north and south of the Border. To think that the IRA might take out people unilaterally and shoot them is beyond belief but we should not be surprised about that. The surprise is that we are surprised because for 30 years they shot and bombed innocent people in the name of republicanism. That is not the republicanism with which any of the republicans in this House have anything in common, and we do proclaim ourselves to be republican in the best sense of the word. It is important that we speak about these matters. Senator O'Toole is correct. There are people in certain sections of this society who believe it is appropriate treatment for people who deal in drugs to take them out and shoot them in the knees. We have to say that is not appropriate treatment. What those people do is wrong but that is not the penalty they should pay.

With regard to the Travers report, we will deal with it in more detail later and I thank the Leader for the efforts she is making with respect to having statements on it because we need to consider it more carefully. We have not had time to go through the report in any detail but it is quite explicit and reaches firm conclusions. It contains 11 recommendations which must be taken on board. The report refers to long-term, systemic corporate failure within the Department so there are matters of administration and politics that need to be dealt with.

I agree with Senator O'Toole on the matter of people being accountable. People with grave responsibility, whether this be political or administrative in nature, must be held accountable. In the event that failures occur, accountability must apply. We will have an opportunity to discuss these matters in greater detail when the Travers report comes before the House.