Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

I support the other strong voices of Senators in the Chamber who condemned the brutal attacks and brutal murders in Northern Ireland at the weekend. We have become so accustomed to peace in the North of our country that we could not believe our ears when we heard of those murders. Even this morning when I heard at 7 a.m. that there was another murder, I thought that one of the men who was injured on Saturday's night's attack might have died. I could not believe that there was a second attack.

In condemning these brutal murders, I commend Senator Harris on his contribution. I do not suppose there is any other Senator who has the same experience in regard to Northern Ireland as he has. It is important to point out, and I say this as a member of the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body, that since I began serving on it seven years ago, we do not talk about the Troubles in the North; we examine other issues in terms of building the North and moving forward with the peace process.

The Good Friday Agreement will be 11 years old next month. Perhaps Senator Harris was right, perhaps we had taken it for granted and had taken our eye off the ball when we should have been protecting and minding it. Perhaps this is a wake up call and we will protect and mind it again. It is interesting to hear the British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown, and the Taoiseach saying that no small group, regardless of how powerful it is, will be allowed to ruin what we have fought so hard to gain. Many lives were lost in trying to gain our peace process. A Senator on the opposite side has said there is no mandate for these people. I ask the Leader to send a clear message and let that small group know there is no shelter for them on this island, North or South. I agree with Senator Hanafin that there is no going back. There is nothing to go back to but more death, hurt and pain. There is an onus on everyone in this Chamber today to expose those who have carried out these brutal murders. I ask whether it would be in order for the Leader to write a letter on behalf of Seanad Éireann passing on our condolences to the families of the three murdered security officers.