Northern Ireland

Mr. Sargent: I will speak about tomorrow?s debate in due course. I regard the IRA statement as gratuitous and quite insulting to put to the family of a murder victim. To offer them a further murder is incredible.

Mr. Sargent: This motion is very difficult in the context of having met with the McCartney family, acknowledging and identifying in every way possible with the situation in which they find themselves. The sisters of the late Robert McCartney and his partner, Bridgeen, it must been acknowledged have been an inspiration to us all to uphold justice with clarity, without ambiguity and without being a prisoner of whatever conditioning any of us have picked up along the way.

Mr. Sargent: I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter: the need to identify the Government's view of, and response to, the evidence and intelligence gathered in connection with the Garda recovery of large amounts of Northern Irish currency in Cork and other centres, and to determine why the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform stated two months ago that there was no IRA criminality in the Republic.

14. Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will report on recent developments in the Northern Ireland peace process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34611/04]

Mr. Boyle: The Green Party supports the requests for time to be made available to discuss last night's IRA statement, especially because of its belligerent tone and its implication that weapons can be used as some kind of bargaining chip.

Mr. Sargent: D'iarr mé féin ar son an Chomhaontais Ghlais agus go leor daoine eile ar an Rialtas go mbeadh an díospóireacht seo ar phróiséas na síochána agus cuirimid fáilte roimpi anois. On 21 October 2003, General de Chastelain, when he appeared on television, could not answer some of the questions he was asked about weapons decommissioning. The uncertainty that ensued and the lack of clarity that has bedevilled the process to this point has caused a faltering, if not a failing, in the process. It must be resolved today among all the parties that this faltering and lack of clarity cannot continue.

9. Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent contacts with the political parties in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30931/04]