Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

Like everyone else in this House, I deplore the squalid murder of Mr. Denis Donaldson that took place in Donegal, compounding the tragedy for those close to him. I welcome the unequivocal condemnation by the Sinn Féin leadership, which I believe to be sincere. I hope those agencies that used Mr. Donaldson to make various manoeuvres, feel suitably proud of themselves today, but I suspect they are indifferent. As Senator Ó Murchú has said, it underlines the importance of persevering in trying to establish the primacy of politics. Unfortunately, there are still people who believe not merely that they have the right to take the law into their own hands, but that they are the law. Such people need to become more and more of a minority.

On a lighter note, I welcome the rude health of the public finances, as shown in yesterday's Exchequer return and the fact that this time a larger party has been converted to the merits of Government taxation policy.