Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join other Senators in absolutely condemning the wanton act of terrorism in Derry on Saturday night last. Thankfully, nobody was killed or injured but what happened shows that this is a dangerous time when it comes to dissident republicans. Everything must be done to ensure that they do not have a voice or threaten the Good Friday Agreement.

Yesterday's centenary of the first meeting of the Dáil was a great success. I congratulate everybody involved. Yesterday's event reminded me that today is the centenary of the appointment of the first Minister for Foreign Affairs, George Noble Plunkett or Count Plunkett, who, in what was known as "the election of the snows" - effectively a by-election for the British Parliament - was elected to represent the old constituency of North Roscommon. That election rocked the British establishment to its core. Count Plunkett was also a Member of the first Dáil. I was in Westminster on Wednesday night last. The place was in a complete frenzy. I do not believe that many of the people who were voting understand the backstop or the Border. A Brexit without a withdrawal agreement will mean border infrastructure. Nobody wants a border. In the absence of leadership in many of the parties at Westminster, I thank MPs such as Ms Yvette Cooper, Mr. Hilary Benn, Sir Keir Starmer and Mr. Dominic Grieve, who are from different parties. They have shown great leadership in trying to get a solution from the referendum. The Government should thank those people as well as many more who are outside the parties and are standing up to be counted. Democracy needs these elected MPs to stand up and be counted. We need a withdrawal agreement or some other mechanism to ensure there will not be a hard border on the island of Ireland.