Dempsey made shooting quip during Midwest TD’s speech
Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey made quips about shooting during the speech of a Midwestern TD’s submission in the debate on Shannon Airport yesterday in Leinster House.
Sinn Fein Kerry TD Martin Ferris had just finnished his contribution when Minister Dempsey said, “At least we did not blow them up or shoot them.”
Now as unlikely as I am to vote for Sinn Fein, and as much as i personally dislike Martin Ferris in particular. The unwelcome truth of the matter here is that several thousand people got up off their airses one sunny day in May and put a number one beside his name. Therefore he is representing the people who voted for him.
For a party like Fianna Fail, who on the previous day lauded the Northern Ireland Peace Process as one of the things which should be remembered when deciding whether or not the house had confidence in Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach, is completely hypocritical.
It shows two things lacking in both Minister Dempsey’s position on the privatisation of Aer Lingus and his character in general.
Firstly, he was not able to counter the arguement that the Government should have seen this coming (given the wording of the articles of association, maybe they did) that he had to resort to irrelevancies.
Dempsey’s conduct was reminiscent of what might have been seen in the days when, while the Northern Ireland assembly were dealing with issues of education and other bread and butter stuff, the likes of the DUP were engaged in obstructionism.
Now while Ferris’ position on matters relating to the conduct of the Provisional IRA, particularly his views on the killing of Garda Jerry McCabe should not be forgotten or ignored. There is a time and a place for it.
If Minister Dempsey wanted to engage Martin Ferris on his position in relation to bombs and guns, then he should have submitted his own motion to the house.
Fianna Fail were themselves accused of being involved in running guns to the IRA in the 1970s, which lead to Charles Haughey, a man later elected as leader of the same party, being scandalised. Yet you don’t hear much mention of it any time a Fianna Fail TD stands up to make a speech.
I do want to see acts of violence not already dealt with, to be dealt with. I want to see the two on-the-runs suspected of being involved in the killing of Jerry McCabe brought before a judge. I want to see those that are in prison to serve their required sentences. However, there is a time and a place for discussion on the IRA and related matters, and this was not it.