Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

The Acting Leader of the Opposition, Senator Finucane, referred to the reports over the weekend concerning the cartoons which caused such offence to Muslims and the resultant spate of violence towards Danish embassies and their staff. The cartoons were injurious to people as was the action that was taken in response. A balanced debate is required and the Islamic community here has displayed such an approach, if interviews I heard on television and radio are any indication. No matter what the sense of outrage, it does not justify outrageous actions in response. The Senator also raised the situation in Palestine.

Senator O'Toole said there was a hard right Government in Denmark and that the cartoon was a product of that. I do not know if that is the correct assumption. He also urged tolerance in public utterances from all sides, and I agree with him. We were all repulsed by what Dr. Paisley said in Belfast yesterday. His accusation that the President hated Ulster was silly because she hails from that province. Dr. Paisley seems, however, to have a new lease of life and strides about with great gusto.