Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

——and Brendan Scannell. It is appropriate that their role in an absolutely historic achievement be recorded, and I may be in a better position to state the facts than others.

There are obviously still many problems to address. Some of them have already been referred to in this House. There are the questions of clearing up criminality, policing, devolution, and dealing with sectarianism. I have been encouraged by the forward attitude adopted by many Unionist and Protestant leaders in the North in trying to tackle something that is totally unacceptable in any civilised society. A tribute has been paid to General de Chastelain, who once again exemplifies patience and perseverance, as Senator Mitchell did during the talks. Both men could easily have walked away. Fr. Alec Reid has been with the process from the start and is in some ways its alpha and omega.

The various parties have all made important positive contributions. I believe that Mark Durkan of the SDLP is in the House today. I praise the Ulster Unionist Party, despite the fact that it has been punished for its pains, and even the DUP for its recent behaviour, however critical I might have been in the past. It is also appropriate, although it may go against the grain with colleagues, to praise the substantial achievement of the Sinn Féin leadership, Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and their colleagues. I have no more time than anyone else for their role in the conflict. However, I admire the way in which they have managed to extract themselves and their movement from the strategy of violence. There are no precedents in Irish history for what has been done and the stage at which we have arrived. Moreover, I am aware of few such precedents abroad.