John Carty (Fianna Fail)

I condemn the bombing last week outside a hotel in Derry which, fortunately, did not result in any loss of life. I and many of my friends in Northern Ireland had thought that day had passed. People in Northern Ireland do not want a return to having to look over their shoulders in case a bomb goes off and maims or kills people.

The PSNI is doing a reasonably good job and must be credited on having recruited in recent years many Catholic young people from the Nationalist side of the community. Any movement which seeks to prevent that is not good for the body politic of this island. It is a retrograde step. That this bomb went off at a time when the former President of the United States, Mr. Clinton, was in Northern Ireland to send out positive vibes to the communities was a travesty of justice. It is a shame this happened at a time when Members from this House and the Lower House are due to meet our counterparts in Northern Ireland. We have more in common with the people of Ireland than we acknowledge. We should assist in every way we can to ensure a normal life for the people of Northern Ireland. This House should condemn in the strongest possible terms what happened in Derry last week.