John Gilroy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Encroaching within the restricted area of the airport certainly may put aircraft at risk. The security fence is there for a purpose. I do not think my colleagues in the other House do their cause very much good by grandstanding in this manner. We can argue the rights and wrongs of the use of Shannon and the problems in the Middle East. Perhaps we should have a debate here in the new year about that. They have made their point, and by failing to pay the fine they have wasted Garda and Prison Service resources. They, not the gardaí, are responsible for that. They should pay their fine and consider their point well made.

I ask the Leader if we can have a debate on the trouble in the Middle East in the new year. It seems that the analysis put forward by some people about its causes are simplistic. I heard Deputy Daly on the radio this morning. What she was saying was that we have brought on ourselves any terrorism events we may expect here in the west, because the evil Americans are the cause of every woe in this country. That is, of course, a simplistic, naive and wrong analysis.