Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

Let me take up the point made by Senator Francis Fitzgerald on the recent violence in Northern Ireland, which was absolutely shocking. The violence comes as a great disappointment to all those who have invested so much hope in our newly found peace and who believed we had entered an era in which people could sit down and settle their differences as equals. In this regard, one can only hope the bringing back into play of the petrol bomb and rocks will not have an ongoing effect on another generation of young Irish people.

It is not so long since we saw several immigrants driven out of Northern Ireland by violence. There is an underlying problem that must be addressed. We should not regard the violence as a once-off occurrence because it is evident that it is orchestrated and intended to cause disruption and undermine what has been achieved in Northern Ireland. One can only imagine the pictures of the violence of recent days that have been broadcast on satellite television throughout the world.

We are currently trying to grapple with a recession and stimulate tourism, yet everything we achieve will be undermined by the violence. All I can see emerging from the violence is more hatred - I can sense it already. I hope we give the leaders, particularly the community leaders, every possible support because there is always a danger the violence will escalate. When one sees ten year olds, in particular, involved in this type of violence, it indicates there is manipulation behind the scenes. I hope that when the Taoiseach is in the House today, he will have the opportunity to address the problem. We need leadership from the highest level.