THE murder of the British soldier in south Armagh on Wednesday drew universal condemnation, in the House yesterday but it also caused a bitter exchange.
The Leader of the House, Mr Maurice Manning, regretted that Mr Paddy McGowan (FF) had sought to turn the tragedy into a party political issue and had tried to get cheap capital out of it.
Mr McGowan had condemned the killing but believed the House should also condemn the lack of progress by the Government in negotiations on the peace process. It was not enough for the Taoiseach to get on the phone to Mr John Major or for the Tanaiste to dine with Sir Patrick Mayhew.
Emphasising the need for steps to ensure paramilitaries could not take centre stage, he said that whatever glimmer of hope there was for the negotiations must be, kept alive. The problem was that the Taoiseach had stepped back and had conceded space to Mr Major.
Mr John Dardis (PD) described as the ultimate in Sinn Fein cynicism the statement by Mr Gerry Adams that everyone must redouble their efforts to build the peace process. Mr Adams knew it was within his power and that of the IRA to advance that process.
Mr Pat Magner (Lab) said the idea of the Armalite and the ballot paper was obviously still alive.
Mr Shane Ross (FG) hit out at ritual condemnations by politicians, saying they made him sick and tired. It was time they recognised the truth - that they could not have Ministers continuously dissociating themselves from atrocities while telling their civil servants to talk to those associated with the murderers.
Mr David Norris (Ind) said the House must signal its views to the so called republican minorities in the North. There was a sign in Crossmaglen: "Sniper At Work". He would ask the people living in that area if they were proud of that sign today and if any of them had the courage to take it down. He criticised Mr Michael Lanigan (FF) for raising the case of Ms Roisin McAliskey, saying it looked like a "classical green balancing act".
Mr Sam McAughtry (Ind) said he hoped that the people of south Armagh, who were noted for their hospitality, would come into the open and express their horror at the IRA policy of taking the lives of "uniformed people". He hoped the people of the South would react to the latest atrocity as if it had been committed in Meath or Thurles.
Mr Dan Neville (FG) said this had been an inhuman killing of a young man from a working classy background who had been described as doing his duty in a courteous way.
Mr Paschal Mooney (FF) said it was vital they continue with the peace process, which he believed was still up and running.