Deputy Vivion de Valera has received permission from the Ceann Comhairle to make a brief personal statement in the House.

In the course of his speech here yesterday Deputy Kelly addressed himself to certain Members on the Government side in a way that implied an invitation to them to change their minds. To this I said aloud to colleagues beside me, "Invitation refused". Deputy Kelly appeared not to have heard and continued on to refer to the Civil War. My remark, incidentally, is not contained in the Official Report.

Later Deputy Noel Browne interpreted my remark as a reply to Deputy Kelly's reference to the Civil War. Lest the misunderstanding should continue I want to record that I have sought ever since my first entry into this House, to heal the hurt and bitterness resulting from the Civil War and will continue to try to bridge the gaps and divisions arising from it. I shared in it, deplore it and have long since been convinced that the tragedy of it should only be remembered on both sides in a spirit of understanding and reconciliation.

I welcome the statement of Deputy de Valera. So say all of us.