Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I fully endorse what Senator Harris said and I agree with him about posturing. The priority is that these people should be apprehended and brought to justice. The Continuity IRA has stated that as long as there is British involvement in Ireland its members will continue to murder people. The Senator is correct that there will be further murders. These people seem to attach no value to life. Even after the British soldiers had been shot, they were shot again. I have a 23 year old son who is the light of my life and I cannot imagine what it must be like for the poor mothers of those murdered. They were scheduled to go on a tour of duty that they thought would be dangerous but they never got that far. They were shot in cold blood on our soil, in our country. I abhor the idea that they can send a coded message to a newspaper stating that as long as there is British involvement in this country they will continue. We need to be very firm on the notion that there might be safe houses or any succour for these thugs in our country. It is a message that should go out loud and clear from this House.

Other than that I do not know what else we can do. We must condemn the action. I agree with Senator Harris that it took a long time for the so-called political representatives to come out. They did not deny it, they said they condemned it, but they did not say anything about the poor unfortunate pizza delivery lads. The implication was that they were aiding and abetting the people in the North. It is an absolute crime.