May I interrupt the Senator to announce that we have just heard that the Birmingham Six are free and we all welcome that.
Release of Birmingham Six.
Acting Chairman
I want to express my extreme delight and pleasure at that news. It is an indication that justice has now been done after a very long time. These people have at this very late stage been recognised to be innocent.
Acting Chairman
If the Senator does not mind, I think the Minister would like to say a word.
I join in welcoming the release of the Birmingham Six. This case has been ongoing for a very long time. They have spent a long time in prison. It must be a great relief to them and to their families and the many people who campaigned for them. It is a great day for everybody that justice has been done.
Acting Chairman
What we are doing is unusual.
It is an unusual occasion.
It is a great and unusual occasion and I would like to express everybody's joy that at last this very long saga has been brought to an end and that justice has been seen to be done in this case. Nothing can give back the 17 years to those unfortunate people but at least, mar a deireann siad sa Ghaeilge, is fearr deireanach ná go brách, agus tá an-lúcháir ormsa go bhfuil an nuacht sin faighte againn anois.
I thank Senator Hourigan for allowing us to speak. What does one say on an occasion like this? It is history. I would like to join with my colleagues in expressing my great joy at their freedom.
I would also like to thank Senator Hourigan for his courtesy and I want to express the delight which I am sure we all feel on both sides of the House that this travesty of justice has been righted at long last. Let us hope that this will usher in a period of better relationships between people on this island and on our neighbouring island.
Thank you, Sir, for giving me an opportunity to join with the other speakers in expressing my absolute delight that the Birmingham Six are free. I have been looking at television downstairs and it is timely that you should make this interruption. At last six innocent people are free and that is wonderful. I want to express my congratulations to them and to all the people who helped to ensure that this happened, particularly those people who were involved in the early stages when the going was very difficult indeed.
Acting Chairman
I would like to agree with what was said by all the Senators and I wish to thank Senator Hourigan for allowing us to bend the rules a little.
One point we did not mention in our words of joy on hearing of the release of these people is that they should, and hopefully will, be appropriately and adequately rewarded for the serious injustice that was done to them. We should be mindful that they are entitled to more than just getting their release at this stage after being locked up for 17 years.