I certainly know that last night should have been a night of joy and happiness for many parents, when their children were in many cases going to a concert for the first time unaccompanied, or when younger children were accompanied by their parents. For such indiscriminate bombing of those children and that concert to happen is totally unforgivable. My group here within the Seanad sends its sympathy to the people of Manchester, and especially to the people who have lost young people. They will never get over that sense of fear of bad news. I remember very distinctly when Dublin was bombed. I was sent out by my mother to search for my uncle, because he normally came through the city centre at the same time as the bomb exploded.

What must the parents have gone through last night when they were worried about their children? It must have been horrendous. The bombing of cities, of concerts, of people at any time is unforgivable and should never happen. We send our deepest sympathies.

I want to give the Leader notice that the Labour Party group intends to put a motion on the Order Paper regarding the sale of State assets and in particular the sale of AIB shares. That motion will be put down on the Order Paper tomorrow and we will seek cross-party support for the motion which we will circulate to all parties for their contributions when we have it.

Hear, hear.

Last night's bomb attack in Manchester was a cowardly and evil act that has taken the lives of many innocent and defenceless people who were simply going about their daily lives, enjoying a concert, and it must be condemned. Our thoughts and sympathies are first and foremost with the families and friends of those who have lost their lives in this atrocity. To see the pictures of children covered in blood, looking for their parents, and parents looking for their children was horrendous. I was watching Sky News and to see the photographs of first two children who had been killed was heartbreaking.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for this attack. As it is losing its grip in other countries, is this now their cowardly way? I read recently in the press that we have between 75 and 80 of these Islamic State fighters or supporters in this country. I want to know what level of threat these people are to the State. We have concerts happening here soon and I want the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to come in and inform us of the level of threat to the Irish public and what safety measures will be put in place now that this has happened across the water.

I join with Senator Catherine Ardagh, leader of the Fianna Fáil group in offering our deepest sympathies to the families, friends and relations of the 22 people who were murdered in Manchester last night and the 59 people who were badly injured by this suicide bomber. It was at an Ariana Grande concert. She is an American pop idol who appeals primarily to young people. My granddaughter was supposed to go to the concert on Saturday evening in Dublin. She specifically appeals to a young group, it was not an old concert by one of the famous singers, it was geared mainly for young people and when one considers that Saffie Roussos, aged eight years, was murdered last night in Manchester it brings home what happened. Many young people have not yet been found and their parents have been making appeals on television to locate their loved ones. The people of Manchester should be commended for how they have risen to the occasion, there were many wonderful deeds and acts of kindness displayed by the wonderful people of Manchester. Many people in Manchester have Irish connections and I myself have family members there.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for this atrocity. On the question of responsibility it should be pointed out that this was the weak part of any concert, when people are leaving. Those responsible were not going to get in with a bomb on their back but the perpetrator came in when those attending the concert were all leaving and panic ensured. There is nothing more we can say except that we, as a Seanad, through the Leader and through the Cathaoirleach should send united condolences to the mayor and people of Manchester, the families, friends and relations.

We must move on. We cannot allow these atrocities and the ISIS organisation to stop freedom. We all have to be on alert. It is high alert across the world and no country is exempt from the activities of ISIS. This is a most tragic situation and it is only right that we as a Seanad give our deepest, genuine sympathies.