Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

Unjust charges that are made about things being in tatters deserve to be answered.

On the Northern Ireland matter raised by Senator Brian Hayes, there was a short article in the newspapers which got no attention this side of the Border but which marks significant progress in the peace process. It reported that the short-term tours of duty of the British army in Northern Ireland are ceasing, that they will only have units which are stationed there for two years. It is just a small, but quite important, element towards normalisation.

There are many matters relating to Northern Ireland that we need to debate. A little pragmatism is required when one is looking at restorative justice. We have been trying to help the transition from paramilitarism to a full civil society and full acceptance of policing. My understanding is that the proposal would involve an indirect contact with the police. There is a great deal of politics swirling around this but I would take the view that if the scheme is acceptable and could be stood over by the PSNI, then I am not sure we should be trying to second guess it in this House.