Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. If I have noted the numbers correctly, I count at 189 the number of incidents in 12 months, meaning there is one every other day. I was not aware the Garda Síochána and the PSNI are confronting that level of terrorism. Like Senator Byrne, I totally support the motion. I commend the political progress that has been made in this country. On one of the days I was visiting Stormont, buses from Melvin coaches were parked outside. Lough Melvin is on the Leitrim-Fermanagh border and there were people from that area visiting Stormont to observe parliamentary democracy in operation. I had my George Mitchell moment when I sat in the Gallery to listen to the Assembly discussing education and not the constitution. John O'Dowd of Sinn Féin, the education Minister is most impressive. I commend what First Minister Robinson and Deputy First Minister McGuinness have done to promote a new Northern Ireland and it has a very strong support - overwhelming support - in all the political opinion polls. I appeal to the dissidents in this State to enter the dialogue. What has been accomplished in Northern Ireland by the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister is almost a case of being as good as it gets. I do not understand why people will not lend their support and join in under the d'Hondt principle and participate in the government that is so open.

I recall a case in which the dissidents engaged in terrorism and Martin McGuinness called them terrorists. I remember the Reverend Ian Paisley said, "That's what I call them too - terrorists." I think he thought he had extended the vocabulary that he had been using for years across the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland. It is so difficult to note that people would opt out of a system of political progress which deserves the support of everyone on the island and which achieved massive support in the North-South referendum. The dissidents should examine why they are still engaging in violence and refusing to enter the political system which is open to them under the d'Hondt principle. Northern Ireland has constituencies with large numbers of seats and representation for everybody and a Parliament which is genuinely representative of all the communities there. Talk is much better than war. I do not know why they are continuing the war and I am shocked that the Garda Síochána and the PSNI have to deal with these incidents every second day. The real solution will be when we no longer need this legislation, when they participate in parliamentary democracy rather than using the gun.

I deplore the assassination on the motorway of David Black on his way to work from Coalisland to Belfast. It was an appalling incident and I also remember the Derry incident to which the Minister referred. The peace process is working. I appeal to the dissidents to get on board. Parliamentary democracy is what accomplishes everything and violence has no place in this society, North or South.