Before we commence, I welcome to the Public Gallery the group Every Child Matters, from Meath and elsewhere around the country. They are guests of Deputy Johnny Guirke.

Cuirim fáilte roimh Every Child Matters. You are very welcome to the House.

Tá pobal Bhóthar Garbhachaidh go hiomlán i gcoinne an mhórshiúil de chuid an Ord Oráistigh atá á bhrú síos a mbóthar. Tá sé de cheart acu maireachtáil faoi shíocháin. Caithfidh Rúnaí Stáit na Breataine, Chris Bryant, gníomhú láithreach chun stop a chur le haon mhórshiúl atá á bhrú ar an bpobal seo.

Dignity, togetherness, resolve and strength: that is what the community of the Garvaghy Road has demonstrated over recent days. Mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, families, neighbours and friends have stood together day and night to defend the peace their community has enjoyed for 28 years. They stand firm because threat remains.

The fundamental question they ask is "why?" Why, after 28 years of peace, are the Orange Order and the Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, so determined to force this unwanted march down the Garvaghy Road? Why, when a generation has grown up without this intimidation and fear, is there such determination to reopen this dispute and override the clearly expressed wishes of the community? It defies belief that the Parades Commission could conclude that this march should return after 28 years.

The Taoiseach correctly described that decision as "incomprehensible and wrong". I agree, but how was such an incomprehensible and wrong decision arrived at? What changed? Remember what this dispute brought in the past: 21 sectarian murders. Among the dead were three little boys, Richard, Mark and Jason Quinn, murdered when their home was petrol-bombed by loyalists; Rosemary Nelson, the solicitor for the Garvaghy Road residents, killed by loyalists; and Robert Hamill, kicked to death by loyalists.

Over recent days I have stood with the Garvaghy Road community. I have spoken to those mothers and grandmothers who lived through the dark years, and to parents, children and teenagers who have lived their entire lives free from that intimidation and fear.

That is, in the end, the greatest gift that peace has given to an entire generation. Why, in God’s name, would anyone seek to drag this community backwards? Whatever their motivations, they will fail because there is no going back. The days of unionist domination are over. The Irish and British Governments have a responsibility to ensure that this community continues to live in peace, free from sectarian intimidation. They have a responsibility to ensure that there is no Orange Order march down the Garvaghy Road. The British Secretary of State can stop this sectarian march being forced down that road and that is what he must do, because the way to restore peace and calm is this. That is the way to resolve this crisis.

Has the Taoiseach informed the British Prime Minister and the Secretary of State of their responsibility to end this nightmare, stop this march and allow the people of the Garvaghy Road and beyond to return to their peaceful lives?

I ask the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and the House to indulge me for a moment as I acknowledge the presence and imminent retirement of our colleague Miriam Lord, who is in the Gallery today. I think we would all agree that Miriam’s journalism, and in particular her oversight and accounts of our work in this House, has been a critical part of our national conversation, and indeed our nation’s democracy, over quite a number of years. In her unsparing but razor-sharp perception and analysis, I sometimes felt that she was rather unfair about me, but she was always spot on about everyone else. More seriously, Miriam has been an outstanding journalist and never produced anything short of must-read reporting. Her many awards and accolades were all richly deserved, and I feel that her absence from the analysis of and argument about our daily cut and thrust in this Chamber will be sorely missed. I am grateful for the opportunity to pay tribute to Miriam and all that she has done.

I appreciate the Deputy raising the issue of what has transpired over the last number of days in Northern Ireland, particularly Drumcree, and the parade, or the decision by the Parades Commission in respect of a parade down the Garvaghy Road. We in the Government, along with everyone in the House, are deeply concerned with what has transpired. In many ways the events of last weekend were deeply depressing. There is a real risk now that the progress that has been made on community relations in Northern Ireland will be set back.

We continue to monitor the situation very closely. Our officials are on the ground, remaining in contact with all key interlocutors, including the Garvaghy Road residents. I have maintained personal contact with Prime Minister Burnham over the weekend, and I know he shares our commitment to upholding the Good Friday Agreement and the immeasurable gains that have been made over the last 30 years. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, also remains in contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who is meeting with the five main political parties and the representatives of the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition. The Minister has also been in touch with other political parties and groups.

I am keenly aware of the hurt around Drumcree. I have been through it before. I was in government when we had to deal with the catastrophe that unfolded in the late 1990s, as articulated by the Deputy. I too remember very clearly the fear, chaos, violence and tragedy the dispute generated. Drawing directly on that experience, I would urge extra sensitivity from everyone in positions of political or community leadership. I understand fully that feelings are very high, but this is the time for all of us to be calm and careful in what we say and do. I am relieved that those directly involved are open to mediation. I support and encourage that work.

I also support the idea that we might look at an independent international figure to play a role in supporting and encouraging mediation and negotiation. Overall, we need to acknowledge the bottom line is we have made significant progress over many years in furthering reconciliation under the Good Friday Agreement and that a return to the divisions of the past is simply unthinkable. My views on the original decision are well known. My focus now, working with all involved, is to see how we can create a pathway forward that mediates the community out of the grave risk that overshadows it right now. Beimid sásta gach aon iarracht a dhéanamh agus cabhair agus tacaíocht a thabhairt chun an fhadhb seo a réiteach agus treoir níos fearr a chur san áireamh.

Caithfimid go léir iarracht a dhéanamh chun stop a chur leis an máirseáil seo. Everyone in the Dáil knows that all of this is just wrong. All of us know that the 28 years of peace and progress have to be cherished and protected. All of us know the people of the Garvaghy Road have an absolute right to live free from sectarian intimidation, fear and thuggery and that that right must be defended. All of us know that the days of second-class citizenship are over and that we cannot and will not return to the past. We know also that for mediation to succeed, whatever form that may take, the community needs to have the threat of this sectarian march lifted. That is the reality. We know also the British Government and the British Secretary of State can and must intervene to make that a reality. That must happen urgently; that should happen today. The fact there has been a delay in all of this has meant the trauma and fear for the community have grown and grown. Matters have been very peaceful and very orderly. We need to do everything we can to defend that peace and order and the rights of the community of the Garvaghy Road. I appreciate the Taoiseach's efforts but I again ask him to impress upon the British Government and the Secretary of State that he can no longer sit on his hands. He has to intervene and stop this march.

Hear, hear.

I have been in touch with the British Prime Minister. We discussed it over the weekend. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, has been in constant contact with the Secretary of State. If we are honest about this, I do not think it is as simple as that. I think that one intervention is not going to resolve it. People have to stand back and there has to be some collective pathway determined with some degree of mediation.

I was listening to former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern this morning. He made the point that the issue has never been resolved. Although people thought it had been resolved, in many respects this is one that has never been resolved. We all know that for 28 years, there was never a decision to allow a parade down the Garvaghy Road, and that is how many of us find it difficult to comprehend how a decision was taken on this occasion. We will continue to engage with the British Government and all the parties involved with a view to finding a way through this that takes away the significant pressure that hangs over the residents of Garvaghy Road once and for all, or at least to create a pathway. A number of complications to this transpired over the weekend that really call for creative thinking in terms of how we can create a pathway of reconciliation and trust, building on the platform of work that has been under way in this community for quite some time to create a long-lasting peaceful resolution of this.