Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with the Leader, the leader of the Opposition, Senator Bacik and Senator Barrett. Some of us were in the Dáil Chamber for the Budget Statement. Of course sympathy was expressed and there was a minute's silence in the Lower House which was eerie and very powerful, as was the minute's silence proposed by our Leader which reflected the same solace, togetherness and support for the people who perished in Carrickmines, members of the Traveller community who live in very difficult conditions, children and parents of both families. It does not bear thinking about. The last time we had a fire of that nature, as Senator Darragh O'Brien has rightly pointed out, was the Stardust in the early 1980s. We can all remember that as very young people at the time.

The tragedy in Carrickmines was followed by the killing of Anthony Golden in Omeath. As the Fine Gael spokesperson on justice, I often speak about the Garda Síochána and pay tribute to it for the enormity of the job it does and the sacrifices it makes. In this case Anthony Golden has paid the ultimate sacrifice by losing his life, the 88th member of the Garda Síochána to do so since the since the foundation of the force. All we can do is convey our sympathy to his wife, Nicola, and their three children, to the entire force of An Garda Síochána, the people of County Louth, the people of Ireland and all former members of An Garda Síochána. The Garda is a community and a family which does enormous good for the people of this country and we must stand with them in solidarity at this very difficult time.