Caithfidh mé mo leithscéal a ghabháil leis an gCeannaire ónar luaigh mé an t-ábhar seo an tseachtain seo caite. Nuair a thug sé a fhreagra, bhí orm imeacht ón Seomra. Léigh mé siar ar an méid a bhí ráite aige agus gabhaim buíochas leis as sin.

Last week I referred to the promising agreement reached between the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association and the loyal orders in north Belfast on the outstanding contentious parades in the north of the city. Thankfully, following a great deal of hard work, diligence and commitment by a range of people on the ground in the Ardoyne and on Twaddell Avenue, the events last weekend passed off peacefully. The agreement reached meant that immediately after the morning parades we saw the dismantling of what had become known as loyalist Camp Twaddell. There is now a moratorium on evening parades returning along that stretch of road, which has presented, particularly in the past two and half years, major problems for community relations, community safety and the welfare and well-being of young people in local neighbourhoods.

This matter has put huge stress on the policing budget for the city and the North more generally.

Last week, when I took the opportunity to raise the matter, I commended the mediators and those involved in the negotiations who had sought this agreement. Many members and many members of the public will be familiar with Fr. Gary Donegan. For 15 years he has been a priest in the Holy Cross area of Ardoyne. With his colleague, Fr. Aidan Troy, he walked that dangerous and gruesome path with the girls of the Holy Cross School in 2001. Those images stay with us, but Fr. Donegan, unlike those of us who watched the events unfold on television and from afar, stomped those pathways with the young girls and their families. He endured horrific and horrendous verbal, psychological and physical abuse as a result. He has been a steadfast leader and a great shepherd for his people in that community that has been tested with the killings, the legacy of the conflict and with suicide rates that are, unfortunately, exceptionally high. He has ministered to people in very difficult times. Therefore, I was astounded that people chose to attack him on Saturday morning. He has been resolute and steadfast in his leadership, not just on the contentious parades issue. He has been a great friend to many of us and to the process of reconciliation and peace-building in the North. What we saw manifest on the streets on Saturday morning in no way represents the people of Ardoyne. They are a very proud, good and far-sighted community who have lent their support to this positive agreement and will continue to do so. The people who attacked Fr. Donegan used the same tactics used not just against the girls of Holy Cross school but also against him in the past. A clear message must be sent from both Houses of the Oireachtas that Fr. Donegan has our full support. He has our steadfast and resolute support in his new endeavours. Both Houses must send the message that they support the ongoing process of dialogue and resolution in that part of Belfast.