David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I share my colleagues' sentiments and the feeling of outrage at this cold, calculated and callous murder of a decent man and outstanding member of his community, who was seen by us in the newspapers in his community and with children. He was a gentle giant and a pillar of the community. I express sympathy to his grieving wife and family. I pay tribute to An Garda Síochána and in particularly to his colleague, detective garda Ryan, who with extraordinary courage after this terribly traumatic event turned up in the Garda station to help in the efforts to find his colleague's killers. It is a sad day for us, particularly because of this situation. In addition there are a number of other people bereaved - our colleagues Senator Henry and Senator Clune, whom I just saw in the dining room. I presume we will have an opportunity to pay a more extended tribute to Senator Eamon De Buitléar who was such a vital and wonderful part of this House. I will also remember the late Kevin Heffernan, who was a vital part of the Dublin football team. I was lucky enough to see those three titanic matches in the 1970s between Dublin and Kerry, two of which, I am very glad to say, we won.

Even at this sad time we have to represent the citizens because there is sadness not just in bereavement, but there is sadness for many people in the experience of living. I received an e-mail from a public service employee who has been really struggling to survive as follows:

I type this letter as a very worried public sector employee ... I was just about able to pay my mortgage of ¤822 last year and now the mortgage is gone up to ¤987 and in the your words [because I replied to him] this is now unsustainable. I am 38 years of age engaged to be married but not much hope of the big day happing now ... I bought the house in 2006 for ¤235,000 one of the cheapest at the time now only worth ¤135,000.

He asked the question that many people around the country are asking. "Where in God's name am I going to get the money for the property tax? I fear I am going to put out of my house". As I have said before we now have evictions, soup kitchens and children being told to jump up and down in schools. The property tax is again going back to the 19th century because people who dare to improve their houses are actually penalised, as it is not based on the value of the house at the time they bought it.

I received another e-mail from a woman stating:

I have to bring to your attention the fact that a number of secondary school students were not allowed onto the school bus this week as they did not have a ticket. They were literally left standing on the side of the road, humiliated in front of their peers [their fellow schoolchildren] ... They are children of low and middle income working parents who simply could not afford the advance payment of ¤325 family ticket [or] individual child ¤175.

What kind of responsible society are we where we humiliate children who cannot afford it and we know that there are ever more families around the country who are put to the pin of their collar. As I say, it is a sad day. We have bereavement, but we also the sufferings of the living, to reflect upon in this House.