Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

While many Senators spoke about 1916, I noted Senator Jim Walsh's name because I intended to relay to the House a conversation I had with him about 1916. He elucidated it himself when he spoke. He and I had a brief but telling conversation about it and his ideas concur very much with his and Senator Ó Murchú's remarks on the matter.

Senator Brian Hayes read the President's speech. He noted that she spoke about those who died at the Battle of the Somme, and I am sure in other battles in the First World War, and suggested that we should have a debate on the matter. I concur with Senator Jim Walsh that we should have a day-long debate on the issue where people would have an opportunity to make known their point of view. I echo Senator O'Toole's comment that it is time we all grew up in regard to these matters. As we approach Easter, we should have a structured and long debate on the matter. People will have different points of view, but we should have a wholehearted debate. I hope we will discuss the matter at a CPP meeting. It could be a forum for differing points of view.

A strong debate is currently taking place in the letters column of a particular newspaper, which is very instructive. There is also a strong debate taking place via a particular columnist in the same newspaper.