Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I listened carefully to what Senator O'Toole had to say this morning about balance, particularly concerning the electricians' strike that is currently taking place. The Senator is absolutely right that we need to be balanced and measured. We all wish that the negotiations now being entered into will find a resolution. That is not to say that I do not have strong views on the restoration of our competitiveness and general wage rates, but injecting that into the current situation would probably be unhelpful. I am also of the view that the machinery involved in the industrial relations process should be allowed to work through these difficulties.

I contrast Senator O'Toole's call for balance with the tirade from his colleague Senator Norris about the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill. We could all come in here and follow on from somebody who has been on "Morning Ireland" or other radio shows, but we also need to be balanced. The rights of individuals are very important but the most basic of all human rights is the right to life. If we talked to the relatives of Brian Fitzgerald or Roy Collins we would see how those whom this legislation is targeting treated the victims' human rights. We have seen the cold-blooded murders of innocent people who are acting responsibly in society. It is quite obvious that the current legal process does not have the capacity to deal with this serious challenge to the State. It behoves us all to be balanced in the way we approach this matter. There is another side of the argument, which to me is the compelling one.