NORTHERN IRELAND normal and has confidence in moving forward. Strong political leadership from the House and, indeed, ASSEMBLY outside the House is needed. I trust that others will give that strong political leadership, as we will today. Ms Gildernew: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Monday 23 November 2009 Comhairle. I condemn the attacks that took place over the weekend in my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone and in Belfast. Those carrying out such attacks are doing so against the expressed wishes of The Assembly met at 12.00 noon (Mr Deputy the Irish people and are seeking to wreck the advances Speaker [Mr Dallat] in the Chair). of the peace and political process. Members observed two minutes’ silence. The attack on the Policing Board was a reckless attack: a no-warning bomb in an area containing both social and private homes as well as office buildings and bars. It was a clear attack on the accountability MATTERS OF THE DAY mechanisms in the policing structures and on our community, which elects its representatives to the Dissident Republican Attacks Policing Board in order to hold the PSNI to account at the highest levels. Mr Deputy Speaker: The Speaker has received The attack on a young officer in Garrison was notice from representatives from a number of parties equally reckless and futile. Let me make it clear: seeking leave to make a statement on a matter that anyone with information about that should bring it fulfils the criteria set out in Standing Order 24. I will forward. Today in the Chamber we need to provide call Mrs Arlene Foster to speak first on the subject. I more than ritual condemnation. We need to show our will then call each of the other parties in order. There people the political leadership that is necessary to steer will be no opportunity for intervention, for questions us through the remainder of the process. or for a vote on the matter. I will not take any points of order until the item of business has been concluded. If On the one hand, there are the opponents of peace that is clear, we shall proceed. who carried out the attacks over the weekend and, on the other, there is the TUV. Both are united in their Mrs Foster: I contacted the Speaker’s Office this attempts to bring our community back to where it has morning about the incident that took place in Garrison clearly said it does not wish to go. Members have the in my constituency at the weekend. However, the opportunity today to show the leadership that is Speaker wants Members to speak about all the necessary to get the job done and to bring the powers incidents at the weekend, and I will do so. on policing and justice to locally elected and The incident in Belfast was an attack on the very accountable representatives here in the North. All the heart of democracy. It was an attack on the parties in the House agree that that is what needs to accountability body, the Policing Board, and it should happen. The PSNI, the Police Federation, the Policing be seen as such. Undoubtedly, those who planted the Board and the judiciary all agree that the transfer of bomb wanted it to be seen as such. I utterly condemn policing and justice powers should happen, so we need that bomb attack, as I utterly condemn the attempt on to get the job done and make sure that it happens. the life of a young police recruit in Garrison, County Some people may seek to turn today’s debate on Fermanagh, who has answered the call of duty to serve such a very important issue into a squabbling session. his community in Northern Ireland and who stands in To them I say that this is bigger than petty party stark contrast to those who sought to end his life on politics, and the events of the weekend have shown us Saturday evening. why. There is an obligation on all parties to complete I congratulate the Police Service on its work in the process. I reiterate our party’s position that those thwarting that attack. It has shown its service, dedication events must be condemned, and I call on all of us to and commitment to the community that it serves in play our part in showing the leadership required to Northern Ireland, and it stands in stark contrast to move us all to where we need to be. those who had murder in their hearts at the weekend. Sir Reg Empey: Members will be aware that the Chief A strong and united message must come from the Constable and, in a recent report, the International Assembly today. At the weekend, my party leader said Monitoring Commission (IMC) indicated that the level that there can be no going back. Indeed, there can be of threat to our community had risen to the highest it no going back. We need to move forward into a has been for a long time. It is perfectly clear that there confident Northern Ireland, a Northern Ireland that is is a strain of republicanism that remains addicted to 1 Monday 23 November 2009 Matters of the Day: Dissident Republican Attacks physical force. That was demonstrated at the weekend. ensure that those groups take our resolve seriously not It is only by the grace of God that we are not here this to be thwarted or to turn the clock back in any way. morning condemning a number of fatalities, which We must send out a strong united message of could easily have occurred as a result of either attack. condemnation and deepen our commitment to ensure I do not believe that this morning is the correct time that any future such efforts by those people will not to get into the detail of the devolution of policing and only be met with the sort of statements that have been justice, save to say that the challenge that has been heard in the Chamber today but will be dealt with by thrown down to the whole community and this House statements from our own devolved justice Minister. in particular can only be addressed if the parties in the That would allow us to show, in the fullest sense House discuss it, which we have not done. There is a possible, that all of us, as democrats, are part of the need for that discussion to take place, and I hope that policing family. The Police Service and its will happen. accountability arrangements are part of the democratic dispensation here. When we were last challenged, with the murders that took place in February, this House was shown at We need to send out a clear message to those people its best. Today, I hope that we can give a similar united that what they attempted to do at the weekend was response to the challenge that has been made, not only defeated and that anything that they attempt to do over to the House but to the democratic process. Those the coming months and years will not succeed either. terrorists are trying to pursue their objectives by other Our resolve is much greater than their malice. means: physical force and murder. It was not very long Mrs Long: I associate myself with the words that ago that we were discussing an attack in my constituency have already been spoken by other Members today. in which a relative of a police officer was blown up in Three incidents took place: the attempted murder of a a car. When we also consider the attack in Armagh and police officer in Garrison; the attempted bombing of the finding of a horizontal mortar, it is perfectly clear the Policing Board headquarters in Belfast; and the that people have a capability. We cannot sweep it under chaos that has been brought to Armagh this morning the carpet any more. It requires a united response from by a serious security incident there. this House, and that response will be best achieved if Reports on the radio in the past 24 hours resonated there is proper discussion among the parties on the way with media reports from the darkest days of the ahead. Until that happens, the vacuum that the Troubles. It is difficult to find words that are adequate terrorists are exploiting at the moment will remain. to condemn the actions of people who, in such a Mr Durkan: I join other Members in recording the reckless fashion, would undertake not only to take the Assembly’s total condemnation of the violence and lives of specific individuals but to rob people of their attempted violence of the past weekend. As others peace of mind and communities of their freedom of have said, the serious bomb attempt at the Policing thought and movement. That must be condemned by Board headquarters was aimed at the heart of the all Members. democratic ethos that is part of the new policing An attack on a police officer is not only an attack on dispensation. In Garrison, County Fermanagh, a deadly an individual and his or her family but an attack on the attempt was made on a young police officer, which, community that that individual serves. Police officers thankfully, was thwarted. go out daily and provide a service to the community, The weekend’s attacks were not the first to be and, when they are under attack, the community that attempted by those who were involved. We know that they serve is also under attack.