Joe O'Toole (Independent)

Senator Brian Hayes raised an extremely important point, although I do not fully agree with him. I have grave reservations about the proposals to deal with individuals on-the-run who are wanted on criminal charges. I instinctively dislike the notion that individuals wanted on criminal charges might not be brought to justice in a democracy. How we deal with them afterwards is another issue but I find it impossible to cope with it in terms of how we structure our democracy and the need to have a judicial system in place.

I also recognise we have had to accept much in the cause of peace. Last weekend I met Michael Finucane whose father was assassinated by loyalists, perhaps in collusion with the authorities. I asked him how he felt about this. It was the most humbling experience to hear his reply. He said it was terrible but if that was the price we had to pay to get the prize of peace, he and his family were prepared to accept it. At that stage I felt whatever reservations I had should be buried immediately. We must take this step to move the process forward and I will support the proposal when it comes before the House.

However, it would make a bad situation worse if the issues raised by Senator Brian Hayes were not properly investigated and disposed of. If it turns out afterwards that we have done something which is unconstitutional, our last position will be worse than our first. I do not understand how we can do this constitutionally. The method being used in the UK might be more interesting and easier for parliamentarians to deal with. I do not understand the technicalities but we must move on this issue. However, I accept we must take seriously the points made by Fine Gael and by the Labour Party in the other House. This must be an all-party issue. These issues have never divided us on a party political basis and I do not believe the points raised by Fine Gael and the Labour Party have been raised on that basis but rather on the basis of a real concern about how we deal with this issue. I would like to be reassured, as I am sure we all would, that whatever way it is done is workable.

It is worth noting something which, in previous times, we might have discussed at great length and which, in some way, relates to the points made yesterday by Senator Ormonde and others on the need for a debate on the development of the economy, jobs, etc. Some 100,000 additional jobs have been created in the economy in the past year. That is hugely important and is worth protecting. It is something from which we all gain to some extent and is another reason we do not want to move into a period of industrial chaos which would put all that at risk.