John Carty (Fianna Fail)

I wish to be associated with the condemnation of these heinous murders that have taken place in recent days. As a member of the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body, with colleagues from both Houses, I have had many meetings with Sir Hugh Orde and other members of the security forces, both north and south of the Border. I found Sir Hugh Orde a very sensible man who knows what is happening. He warned us at our last meeting that dissident republicans were very much to the fore and were capable of carrying out the crimes that have been carried out in recent days. He is entitled to get every assistance from forces in England, Northern Ireland and here in the Republic to root out those people. They have no mandate from the people and they have no right to do what has been done in their name in recent days, which was terrible.

There is a saying in the west, and perhaps in other parts, that the darkest hour is before the dawn. On television last Sunday I saw people of different religious persuasions coming together after their Sunday services to pray, condemning the murder of those two young soldiers. That was amazing and some years ago it would not have happened. One hopes the communities will stay together now. I have no doubt that people have information concerning those who committed those crimes and they should give that information to the police and security authorities in Northern Ireland. If they are in the Republic that information should be given over and those people should be rounded up and brought to justice.