Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I know colleagues across the floor would again wish to join me in offering our sincere condolences to the families of those who died so tragically in the fire in Carrickmines. The first of the funerals are being held today and it is appropriate that we remember them today, particularly so soon after the funeral of Garda Tony Golden which took place last Thursday.

On a happier note, I welcome the appointment of Professor Philip Lane to replace Professor Patrick Honohan as Governor of the Central Bank. Of course, Professor Lane is known to us as the holder of the chair of political economy at Trinity College Dublin.I congratulate Professor Lane on his new appointment.

Senator O'Brien referred to the independent report on paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland that was issued today by the British Secretary of State, Ms Theresa Villiers. It would be useful to have a debate on that report in due course, once we also see the report by the Garda Commissioner on paramilitary activity which, as I understand, is due to be published later today. I had a brief look at the report published by the British Government which has found that the structures of the Provisional IRA remain in existence, albeit in reduced form. One line in the report is quite chilling when one considers the context and reality on the ground in Northern Ireland. That line is: "Our firm assessment is that, to different degrees, the leaderships of the main paramilitary groups are committed to peaceful means to achieve their political objectives." It is very welcome to see an assessment made that there is a commitment to peaceful means, but the phrase "to different degrees" must worry any reader. It would be helpful to explore and debate in this House the nuances in that report and in the Garda Commissioner's report that we will see later today.

I commend Graham and Helen Linehan on their work with Amnesty Ireland in producing a video that was launched in Belfast last night and the screening of which I was privileged to attend this morning. The video, which is called "Chains", is narrated by Liam Neeson and concerns the experience of a pregnancy involving fatal foetal abnormality. It calls for repeal of the eighth amendment, the campaign for which is being spearheaded by Amnesty under the heading of "She is Not a Criminal". The campaign seeks to change the criminalisation of women-----