Seanad debates

Thursday, 14 October 2010

10:30 am

Photo of Cecilia KeaveneyCecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the rescue of the Chilean miners. I acknowledge also the role played by Ireland - it was a drill brought from County Clare that was used to bore down and create the shaft through which they were rescued. In as much as Senator Ó Murchú was linking the rescue with the economic situation, I remind the House of Esperanza, which means hope, a little girl who was born to one of the miners while he was trapped.

As spokesperson on education and deputy spokesperson on Northern Ireland issues, having attended the Council of Europe last week where we debated a report on extremism and being a little cynical, I ask that we have a debate on the English language, but more so because of what we term criminal and thuggish behaviour being engaged in in the name of something else. In Strasbourg last week I complained that the word "extremist" was being used in respect of someone who wanted to blow people up, shoot or do others harm and said that this was not in keeping with my understanding of the English language. In the same vein, the term "dissident republican" is abused because a republican is a person who respects the idea that a republic is made up of people from many backgrounds on a shared piece of ground. In that context, I draw the Leader's attention to a story in today's edition of the Irish Independent entitled, "Gang Forced to Pay Protection". One of the country's most feared criminal gangs is paying protection money to dissident republicans in order to be able to deal drugs in its home city. That in itself merits debate, whether we are talking about the use of the English language or the direction in which Ireland is moving. I repeat a call I have made many times for a debate on republicanism in Ireland which would be connected to how we deal with the many commemorations by people on all sides with whom we aspire to sharing this land as a republic or an all-island republic. Such a debate would be timely in order that we call people what they are, criminals and thugs, not anything more glorified.

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