Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I am leading to it. I refer to the coverage of that particular event and the effect of radio and television coverage on a crowd. It all depends on the coverage as to what developed. People will sometimes react to the presence of a television camera and it happens in many locations around the world.

I know the Leas-Chathaoirleach is getting a little nervous about my comments. I have made my views known and, in this regard, the assistant editor of The Irish Times, Fintan O'Toole, is a real democrat. After discussing the issue with him, I am satisfied he did not intentionally or otherwise incite that riot last Tuesday night. I hope he accepts my explanation. There has been a debate on Joe Duffy's show and elsewhere on radio. Fintan O'Toole sent me e-mails and I am delighted he also distanced himself on Tuesday night on "Tonight with Vincent Browne", which I viewed since. I also read other statements. It is a matter of opinion but, in the circumstances, he is very concerned about this issue and I accept that he did not knowingly or willingly incite that riot last week. He has distanced himself from it and he is a democrat like myself. This is not Greece where three people lost their lives in a protest on the streets. We are citizens of a free state. We are neither serfs nor peasants. We are free people. I come from an ordinary background in Roscommon and I am delighted to be elected to the Dáil and to the Seanad to represent the ordinary people.

A protest is being held tonight at 7.30 p.m. I appealed today on the radio programme "The Last Word", with Matt Cooper and Brendan Ogle, that the protest would be peaceful-----