Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

In congratulating Senator Leyden on the anniversary of his election to the Oireachtas I note that my father, Paddy Keaveney, lost his seat on this day in 1977. That is the other side of the coin.

With regard to the phrase that the Saville report sets the truth free, I hope the truth being set free frees the lives of many people. Without taking from their memories of their loved ones who were killed and injured that day, I hope it frees the lives of the many people who have spent the last 38 years seeking justice to get back into real life. When I turned on the television yesterday afternoon I had already received a text message from some of my family in Derry saying that Derry was manic that day. They considered it manic due to the helicopters flying overhead. It was reminiscent of what might have been the scene on that particular day. It was definitely the scene in the days afterwards just in terms of audio. There is much discussion in the context of the World Cup about the use of the wonderful plastic tubing that makes a great deal of noise. The helicopter flying over Derry was very much part and parcel of daily lives. It was funny and strange to turn on the television yesterday and hear the intense noise of the helicopter again but to hear it in a fresh context and a new environment, where good news was due to emerge and there was good support for the families.

The civil rights song was "We shall overcome". This particular quest for truth took 38 years for this group of people. How would history have been changed had this action been taken much earlier? What would have been the difference? We cannot deal with that but I agree with Senator Harris that if we cannot deal with everyone's past, we cannot move on for the future. That is part of the debate I am seeking from the Leader. Yes, it should be about the Saville report but also about how we can deal with the past for everyone so they can be set free too.