Feargal Quinn (Independent)

We have been stunned by yesterday's announcement from P. O'Neill. Today's reaction is a reminder of how we must value our democracy, although we do not do so nearly enough. We must do so, however, having heard those words and the threats that were made in the IRA statement. Given that we have not always valued our democracy enough, we should remember what occurred today in Egypt where the Government prevented a new newspaper from being published because it supported an opposition candidate. Those of us who criticised and condemned the war in Iraq should recognise that some signs of democracy are beginning to appear in the Middle East. We value our democracy, so we should encourage those signs of democracy elsewhere, be they in Palestine, Libya, Lebanon, Egypt or Afghanistan.