Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to put on record my deep disappointment with the British Government at its announcement this week that there will be no public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane. We all sat here last week and passed a motion on our support for a public inquiry.

We have come far as a country but a tweet was sent on Saturday that threw reconciliation right out of the window. I am from Dundalk in north Louth, have lived through the Troubles and have seen the hate and hurt that has been inflicted. Living near Narrow Water, I have heard the stories and have seen the lives ruined by violence and hate. We need peace and reconciliation in this country and I note the leader of Sinn Féin has stated that we need to watch our mouths and watch what we say in public. One should also watch what one says in private. and should, please, lead. We need to move on in this country. I will not stand here and defend what the British did to this country because I am deplored by the horrors of the British Government and what they did to us but if we are going to move on, think about a shared island and a shared future and embrace our shared past, we must stop the vitriol and the celebration of violence.