Maurice Hayes (Independent)

I too wish to refer to the report of the international commission led by General de Chastelain. I generally associate myself with the remarks of Senator Mansergh. We should recognise the efforts made by the people, both those in government and those within the republican movement and what it means to them, who brought this development about. We should also recognise the courage and integrity of the two clergymen witnesses, Fr. Reid and the Reverend Harold Good, both of whom I have known for many years. They are men of monumental integrity and I would take their word on anything. I regret that anybody would doubt it for a moment. In particular, Reverend Harold Good showed enormous courage coming from where he came and standing up and saying up what he said. He deserves all our thanks.

I hope it is not ungenerous or ungracious in the middle of all this euphoria to make the point that while we welcome the fact that the war is over, we should not allow people to rewrite history and suggest that it was ever a good war in the first place.