It is proposed to take No. 7 — Family Law (Divorce) Bill, 1996, Order for Second Stage and Second Stage.
I wish to make the following announcement. The situation concerning the murder, on the order of people involved in organised crime, of a journalist is a grave threat to our democracy and to the standard of life which this State has upheld for more than 75 years. It raises the spectre of organised crime dominating our society in the appalling way that it had come to dominate some other societies in Europe until action was taken.
In the aftermath of yesterday's horrific murder I want to make the following points. The full resources of the State are being applied to finding and bringing to justice those who committed this murder and those who inspired or directed it. Nobody is untouchable and the Government is absolutely determined that whoever ordered this murder will sooner or later — and I hope sooner — face charges in our courts. Let me repeat, nobody is untouchable, nobody who orders a crime in a democratic society can be allowed to be untouchable and nobody will be allowed to be untouchable.
The Government is intensifying its efforts to change administrative and legal procedures in our State so that we can deal more effectively than we have been able to deal to date with organised crime. Organised crime is a different phenomenon qualitatively from the type of crime we have had to deal with in the past. It needs a qualitative change in the way we do our business. I do not pretend that the Government or any party or group in this House has, in the immediate aftermath of this truly appalling event, the knowledge of all the appropriate answers in terms of the administrative changes that can work and the legal changes that are necessary. I am determined that together all of us in this House will find those answers. To ensure the maximum national focus on finding those answers in a deliberate, careful but also urgent way, I wish to announce that it is the Government's proposal that the Dáil shall be recalled for a full day's sitting on Thursday, 25 July to debate the issue of organised crime. The Government will have its proposals to make on that matter on that occasion and we will be seeking proposals from all interests in society, including all parties in this House. There is a series of proposals currently in preparation which I expect will be ready for that debate. I have no sense that the proposals we will bring forward will represent the final or last word on the matters society needs to bring to bear on this issue. It is important, therefore, that there should be a full debate when all parties and Members who wish to do so will have an opportunity to put forward their proposals, all of which will be considered carefully and seriously in addition to the proposals that will be brought forward by the Government.