Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)

My party supported this amendment in the Dáil and will support it here for the reasons I will outline. That said, I read the report of the Dáil debate and found its tone and content most regrettable. I would caution people to tone down the rhetoric on this issue. We all have ownership of the Good Friday Agreement, which was negotiated by a former leader of my party and others who had the courage to take it on and to include and introduce the paramilitaries at the time. They were brought into the political system and we welcomed them to it. It is good they are part of it.

However, we must remember that there are many people with sensitivities who voted for the Good Friday Agreement but who still suffer a loss as a result of the activities of the paramilitaries on all sides. I speak as someone whose family had a long friendship with the family of the late Jerry McCabe. When I spoke here on Second Stage, I indicated to the Minister that I felt there should be a forgiveness element and an acceptance of rehabilitation across the board, without reference to any agreement and wherever somebody had offended and was guilty of a serious crime. Some of the people to whom Senator Cullinane has referred were guilty of the most heinous crimes. All people who have committed a crime must get the opportunity for rehabilitation and to return to the workforce. It is on that general basis and in that spirit that my party supports the amendment. I caution Senators to tone down the rhetoric as many people are still hurting.