I propose that this special sitting to discuss the Report of the Tribunal of Enquiry into the Beef Processing Industry be adjourned until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday 1 September and request you to summon a special meeting of this House for the purpose of discussing the announcement by the IRA of their complete cessation of military operations.
Order of Business.
Go raibh maith agat, a Thaoisigh. I will be pleased to make the necessary arrangements to implement your wishes and to summon the Dáil accordingly. Is the proposal that the sitting on the Beef Tribunal Report be adjourned as requested agreed to?
I very much welcome the opportunity for the House to discuss the most welcome announcement of a cessation of violence by the IRA. I earnestly hope there will be a total cessation of violence by all paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland and I look forward to a united response from all of us in this House in seeking to build a permanent peace and total reconciliation of different trends of opinion on this island on the basis of this absence of violence.
I too welcome the announcement from the IRA that there will be a cessation of violence and that it will stop the murder campaign of the past 25 years. I certainly hope it is a permanent cessation of violence. It is a day when we must be generous and work together to build on the progress we can now make together. We have to reach agreement on this island which is a very small country of merely 3.5 and 1.5 million people. It should be possible, with generosity on all sides, to move forward and have a real political society in Northern Ireland.
I agree with the Taoiseach's suggestion that we postpone debate on the beef tribunal report until tomorrow morning. However, I am anxious for an assurance from the Government that we will not lose any of the time agreed for that debate. I hope the time lost today will be made up either on Saturday or on Tuesday next.
It is with great pleasure that I agree to the deferral of the debate on the beef tribunal report on the basis that the IRA have announced a complete cessation of violence. Like Deputy Harney I too would like to know when the time we will lose today will be made up. I would prefer continuation of the debate on Tuesday rather than Saturday.
The importance of the announcement by the IRA should not be underestimated. However, we would all seek to weigh our words in terms of our response, and bearing in mind that a community in Northern Ireland has been at the receiving end of fairly vicious violence for a long time and it will take time for those wounds to heal, we must be careful that no one, on whatever side of the community in the North will, by our word or deed be encouraged or obliged to resort to violence yet again.
Ba mhaith liom fhéin, freisin, fáilte is fiche a chur roimh deireadh le foréigean an IRA. Tá súil agam go mairfidh sé agus nach mbeidh aon fhoreígean on dtaobh eile ach an oiread. Is lá an-tábhachtach é an lá seo dúinn sa Tigh seo agus aontaím leis an Taoiseach gur cheart an t-am a chur i leataobh chun an t-ábhar seo a phlé agus a phlé go han-chúramach mar tá go leor rudaí go gcaithfimid a rá agus a dhéanamh amach anseo go fóill.
I, too, hope that the beef tribunal report is given the fullest consideration alongside this important development. Today reminds me of my school days when we came into school with geography copies and were asked to do history. However, it is important that we bear in mind how these things develop, the speed at which they can develop, and order ourselves accordingly.
Is it agreed therefore that the House will adjourn the debate on the beef tribunal report until 10.30 a.m. tomorrow? Agreed. I will be happy to summon the House to meet today at 4 p.m. at the Taoiseach's request to deal with matters appertaining to peace.
How long will the special sitting from 4 p.m. last?
That can be discussed by the Whips who can also discuss the making up of the time lost for the other debate. I very much appreciate the co-operation of all the leaders of the Opposition in their discussions with me and the Tánaiste this morning on the arrangements that we have agreed not alone for today but for the remainder of the debate.
The Dáil adjourned at 1.05 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 1 September 1994.